Chapter 10.2 The Reaction of White Harbor

Wolfgang was in a spacious room, kissing all over the body of his wife, Wynafryd. Gradually less and less clothing covered their bodies, and the couple was in quite a passionate moment.

Unfortunately such a moment was interrupted, by agitated knocking at the door. 

"Milady! Milady!" exclaimed a voice urgently, which made Wynafryd had to get up with annoyance on his face. Wolfgang could already understand the reason for such urgency, so despite being interrupted, he was not upset.

The door was opened and the worried face of a servant was revealed.

"What is it?" asked Wynafryd with weary eyes.

"It's the ships that carried your grandfather and uncle! They've returned, but only one!" the man exclaimed, and Wynafryd's eyes went from tired to worried.

"Lead the way!" cried the woman, and she began to follow at a rapid pace behind the servant. Wolfgang quickly joined his wife, and they quickly reached the corps.

When they reached the harbor they could see that the ship had already docked; everyone had grim faces. Ser Bartimus was already in the harbor, and his face was one of the most stricken.

"Grandfather! Grandfather!" cried the girl, but as she looked among the newcomers, they all turned their faces away in shame. No one could give her an answer.

"Milady," said in a faint tone Ser Bartimus.

"Where is my grandfather!" cried Wynafryd Dustin again, ignoring the words of the one-eyed and lame old man, to which Wolfgang began to hug her tightly, while the girl shed tears on his chest.

"What happened?" asked Lord Dustin to Bartimus.

"The ships were attacked... Lord Wyman and Lord Wendel perished, the fault of an archer."

Wynafryd listened to the castellan's words, and pressed her face into Wolfgang's chest even more tightly. She was truly devastated. Wolfgang at the same time gently and lovingly stroked the girl's hair.

"Do we know who they were?"

"The bastards of the Three Sisters! It was those savages!" one of the soldiers said with pure hatred.

"The Three Sisters?"

"They carried a banner of House Borrell, but they may be impostors" interjected Ser Bartimus.

"I've heard too many things about those bastards for them to be impostors..." replied Wolfgang, his gaze was furious.

Standing next to Bartimus was Walder Manderly, a distant cousin of Wylis and Wendel. He was the senior commander of House Manderly's forces.

"Ser Walder," commented Wolfgang, "How many men can House Manderly have ready as soon as possible? We're going to go finish those bastards off."

"We can muster 5,000 sir! With more time up to 15,000!" he replied resolutely, but a voice intervened.

"Stop!" voiced Ser Bartimus. "We cannot act rashly. We don't even know if they are the true perpetrators, and if they are, we must speak to Lord Stark first so that he will speak to Lord Arryn."

"We cannot wait for such foolish formalities, Ser Bartimus. Because of those bastards my wife will never be able to see her grandfather again. Such a debt is paid with blood, not bureaucracy."

"I am the castellan of this place and I command that no troops be gathered, by what authority can you command otherwise?" spoke Bartimus, to which Ser Walder felt conflicted, looking between the two figures.

"Under mine!" cried Wynafryd suddenly, then rested his eyes on Wolfgang, "Kill them all, I want every last one of those bastards dead."

"I will love" smiled Wolfgang, "I will bring you the head of every last member of House Borrel. Their bloodline will be wiped out" he added. 

Wynafryd nodded, but she was exhausted by the news, so she returned to the castle accompanied by maidservants.

"Ser Walder, upon the passing of Wyman Manderly, the new Lord of White Harbor is Ser Wylis Manderly. But because he is not here, such authority falls to my wife, his eldest daughter, is that not correct?"

"It is," replied the man gravely. Ser Bartimus watched the scene tensely.

"Then, because she has just given me the authority, my orders are worth more than those of... this lord."

"They do."

"Then the first thing I ask of you is that you order your men to escort him to his quarters. Clearly age does not help him to think clearly, and to have him in a place where important decisions are made is detrimental to House Manderly and its vengeance."

"It will be done, My Lord," Walder replied, and gestured to a pair of soldiers, motioning for them to approach.

"It is a mistake, Ser Walder. You are giving control of White Harbor to a Dustin, a very ambitious one."

"I do not have the power to give such control to anyone, Ser Bartimus, were Lady Wynafryd's words. Besides, that Lord Dustin is right. If you are not capable of supporting your Lord's vengeance you are not fit to be here" the man replied, and the pair of guards had already arrived at his side. "Escort Ser Bartimus to his chambers and guard the entrance. Let him stay there."

"Aye captain!" replied the soldiers, and retreated from the area.

"What's the plan?" asked Ser Walder, looking toward the horizon with hatred; that was the direction where the island of the Three Sisters lay.

"House Manderly has been harassed and attacked by those bastards for centuries. Neither House Stark nor House Arryn have done anything to stop that" Wolfgang commented, and Walder nodded in agreement; his stance was quite similar. "I'll send a letter to Barrowton, have them bring 5,000 soldiers. House Dustin and House Manderly are family, I have the same desire to avenge Lord Manderly as the rest. You will take the Three Sisters and we will massacre the island, are you with me Captain?".

"Yes my Lord! We will destroy those filth!" replied Walder, and left the place. He had to start mobilizing the forces.

Wolfgang watched Walder's back move away, until he was lost in the streets of White Harbor, and what nice streets they were....

'It's already mine' were the young man's thoughts. White Harbor already belonged to Wolfgang Dustin.