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298 AC
The Draedfort
"A letter from Lord Drako , my lord Bolton", Maester Coleman handed me the missive arriving from Acanon where the man had set up his spy headquarters.
Domeric took the rough paper without haste. If the letter contained the news he was hoping for, then events had begun exactly as they should have. Jon Arryn would be dead. The fat king would soon be on his way north to Winterfell. And within months ….perhaps even weeks the realm would begin to tilt towards war.
How he waited patiently for this opportunity. An opportunity to oust the Starks quickly, smoothly and with a veneer of legitimacy. To take the next step forward to power. It wasn't anything personal against the Starks it was just business, an ambitious business.
And as he removed the seal wax from the envelope and read it slowly he wasn't surprised about the news. His expression remained plain.
"Lord Jon Arryn, Hand of the King and Lord of the Eyrie has passed away." He says for all those in the room to hear.
The room stilled.
Coleman made a short gasp, his aids had also taken pause to their writing quills hovering over paper and , so did Serra.
"Lord Arryn is dead," Coleman repeated, as though the words themselves required time to settle. "And the king is coming to the North?"
"Thats correct coleman he will," Domeric replied calmly. "Soon."
His Redfort guests, his friends, men of House Redfort who had been residing at the Dreadfort under the guise of friendly ties trade and negotiations would certainly be eager for such a journey. Winterfell would be filled with lords, banner men, and petitioners alike. Opportunity would thrived there like no where else in the north.
"And you intend to go?" Coleman asked. "To Winterfell?"
"Yes indeed , but secretly" He replies.
"Secretly? Thats rather shameful my lord." The master admonishes.
"You didn't even want to tend to lord Stark's summons a few moons ago and now you wish to enter his halls in secret?" Coleman added.
"Semantics", Domeric blurted out fanning the man away urging him to shut it.
'Whether he answered Stark's summons or not had made little difference. The Warden of the North had been appeased regardless, content to believe Domeric Bolton occupied himself with trade, industry, and the endless administration of his lands any tricked by his belief in improving the north'
"And say suppose you were caught?" Serra voices now.
"Few outside these lands know how my face looks," Domeric replied. "Fewer still would expect to see me there. I will not be inclined to show myself openly. Cloak, hood, shadow….these things suffice."
He had planned this long before the letter even had arrived.
" I wont hear anymore fusses from you lot, that is my decision and it shall be final", he declared.
"By your will then my liege", they nodded in defeat.
A moment later, one of the aides cleared his throat. "My lord, another missive, this one from the Night's Watch. Lord Commander Mormont once again thanks you for the continued shipments of foodstuffs, lumber, and steel."
Domeric nodded at the words.
"Lord Mormont is always welcome, as long as our ships continue or Ice and Timber harvesting then the supplies will continue to flow." He states as a matter of factly.
He then rose from his chair and moved toward the narrow window overlooking the smoke choked courtyard below.
"I intend to expand our operations beyond the Wall," he continued. "
Serra's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing.
He felt the shift in emotions behind.
'The wildlings have proven more resourceful and adaptable than expected. Mance Rayder has played his role admirably, his smuggling operations were always profitable, dangerous but still profitable.' He thought to himself.
'Everything was going as it should.'
'His army now numbered nearly fourteen thousand, now larger than any force held by any northern lord even the Starks themselves. And it continued to grow. His dark-cloaked legions were disciplined, loyal, and ready to march the moment he called. And that call would come soon it was destined. He needed that war. He needed to climb the ladder.'
So thus he needed to be ready for any conflict the future would throw at.
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Later, alone in his solar, Domeric reread the letter from Acanon. Lord Drako's handwriting was sharp and recognizable anywhere.
The Hand was dead. His spies whispered of a silent contention between the vale lord and the queen. They were assuming that the man was poisoned and treachery was afoot.
Their assumptions were logical as Jon Arryn although old had died so suddenly after walking up and about healthily tending to the matters of the state while Robert whored away.
If they only knew. If Drako his spymaster only knew what he did, then the man would have fallen down face flat. Jon Arryn of course was poisoned , and poisoned by none other than the bitter woman he had as a wife under the influence of Lord Baelish.
He also of course subtly spread rumors about Cersei's children through his brothels, which were picked up by figures like Stannis Baratheon.
By which Jon Arryn was informed by Stannis that the Royal children were illegitimate and that the Lannisters were dangerous.
It was also from these possibilities that he wanted to get his son Robert away from Lysa's pampering and general instability, he tried to foster young Robert with Stannis. And Lysa who was obsessed with her child would not have been able to part with him. Littlefinger used Lysa's love for him as well as Lysa's fear of this to get her to kill her husband by poisoning him with the poison "Tears of Lys".
'What a bitch'. He thought before remembering he too also poisoned his father. Though said man deserved it.
Grand Maester Pycelle was also in on it, recognizing that the hand was poisoned but presumed that the Lannisters had ordered it, ( at the same time he was also aware of the secret and of Arryn's prodding?) so he let Jon die and wasn't told otherwise.
And Petyr Baelish the snake he was had Lysa write a letter to the Starks with information blaming the Lannisters to incite conflict between the houses.
Littlefinger continued to persuade the Starks that the Lannisters were behind the original Hand's murder and Varys didn't bother to correct them knowing otherwise.
'The whole castle needed a purging. And Ned Stark being the fool he was thought honor and trust would make him survive in such a place, Jon Arryn his foster father was proof of the inevitable of foolishness.'
But nevertheless they were mere steps towards his goal of domination, let them sacrifice themselves.
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