22

288 AC

Dreadfort POV

He looked at the slight reflection of his face on the masterfully crafted trinket, for what else it was, a sword that was not a sword, a sharpness that couldn't be used as anything other than show trinket that could be much more seen in South rather than there in North, where look fell secondary to the survival...

Alas, as he looked at this finger that had a fresh cut, he couldn't say it wasn't very sharp, impossibly so, maybe just Valyrian steel sword could by sharper, unfortunately, one good swing and one block could immediately dull or outright destroy such sharpness.

It was good for a show of power, Our Blades Are Sharp, hm? But it couldn't be used as anything more...

But...

There he smiled, his eyes falling to the family banner that rested on the wall in his solar, and back to his new toy sword, it is true it was very sharp, really sharp, so sharp it could make some things much easier and enjoyable...

Still, his mind wandered back to his son's words, and he couldn't help but smile, a very so, yes, his son thought himself of so clever, trying to move his father and lord with his words, alas, Roose couldn't exactly blame him either, most heirs were given money, and let alone as long as they went to their lectures with Maester and Master-of-arms, they could do most anything as long they do not bear shame to their family with their actions...

Where did his son spend most of his time working, something even Roose himself noticed, that he wanted to manipulate him?

That didn't bother Roose as much, as he was angrier that his son was unsuccessful.

If he could see through his son's blatant manipulation, then others could too, and that was unacceptable for the man, well, boy yet, who will one day rule Dreadfort.

Any failing was another point to shame on Master's of Flaying list, something Roose detested as if it wasn't enough the needed to bent knee to the wolves...

But, it was this same manipulated mind that made Roose calm, Roose knew there was a difference between intelligence and wisdom, at first, Roose feared that his son had just the first, which would make him unsuitable for inheriting lordship, but then he started showing the later when Roose released his leash on him, it was that mind that made Roose alright with the betrothal between his son and wolf girl...

After all, there wasn't a difference between taking Winterfell in a peaceful or violent manner, well, at least to Roose himself, he knew others would say otherwise...

But, for now, his son was too green, too used to have his ways, no small amount of that problem rested on Roose's head, after all, it was him who let his son have such authority...

But to punish him?

Roose knew he needed, not because he tried or manipulated him in the past, but because he failed this time, and any failing needs to be punished...

But how to go on punishing him?

That was something Roose himself wasn't sure about, taking his coin would be too lenient, stopping his projects would hurt the entire Bolton family, and this to Roose himself, that too was out...

Just like taking away the authority he so enjoyed now, Roose gets used to his son's inventions and decisions that bettered his lands, something that didn't happen in multiple generations, as after so many generations, there are actually coming immigrants into his land, yes, a not lot, but the entire fact showed how much his son improved the lands, that even smallfolk would risk of coming to live in there than to others lands...

Roose hummed, looking at the dragonglass sword in his hands, he thought about how best to punish his son, but not enough to break him, and but enough to hurt him, show him how severe it is when he fails...

"He is close to these maids of his, isn't he?" Roose hummed, maybe that could, by the way...

After all, they are just maids, smallfolk, good enough to make his son wake up from his happy dream...

Roose was sure that his son would learn to better himself from this, after all, even if he could feel something for them, they were just women...

*AUTHOR NOTE*

If you have a problem with this, then thank the guy who said that Domeron is becoming too much, Gary Stu, and for making me realize he speaks maybe little of the truth...

That said, this chapter is short because of my IRL work, and I wish to update at least one each day...

By the way, YOU CAN choose if you want the punishment to be MILD-MIDDLE-HARD...

Choose carefully, as some things can't be taken back, and do take into account this will choose how dark MC will become, as this will be one of the events shaping his future!

You can choose in the POLL that will close tomorrow when I return from work and start writing...

THIS WAS ALREADY VOTED ON AND WRITTEN, SO YOU DON'T NEED TO VOTE IN THE COMMENTS!