Greatjon was the first to speak. "What do we care about some Targaryen? What does he have to do with us? We're fighting our Lannisters, and he's fighting his King's Landing. It has nothing to do with us."
Then Old Karstark spoke up, "The Targaryens arriving at this time might actually be a good thing for us."
Everyone instinctively looked at him.
"Let the Lannisters and Targaryens tear into each other first," Karstark said. "The harder they bite, the better. Once they've both been crippled, we'll step in to pick up the pieces."
Ser Wylis Manderly, the heir to White Harbor, also spoke, "Lord Karstark has a point. Tywin is currently pinned down by us in the The Riverlands and can't return to King's Landing. If King's Landing falls to the Targaryens, Tywin is finished. We'll sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, then swoop in for the spoils once they're done."
Several other Northern lords chimed in, agreeing it was a sound plan.
But then, the Blackfish, Brynden, who had been standing quietly by the entrance, couldn't help but speak up. "It's not that simple."
He walked to the center of the tent and pointed at the map.
"The Targaryens are not the Lannisters," he said. "He has dragons. Dragons are not simple creatures; they are things that change the face of war. I expect you all know the example of Harrenhal. And while you haven't seen a dragon with your own eyes, I have. Besides, if the Targaryen deals with the Lannisters, who do you think his next target will be?"
After Brynden finished, silence fell over the tent once more.
"Regardless, he won't come to the North," Ser Wylis said. "What he wants is the iron throne, not the North. I'd wager his next target will surely be the Stormlands or The Reach."
The Blackfish shook his head, refuting Wylis's words.
He had heard Catelyn mention that a three-headed dragon had once flown over Winterfell. Calculating the time, that should have happened before he arrived in the Vale, so the North's importance in Viserys's heart might be significantly higher than the Stormlands.
Catelyn had also told these Northern lords about Benjen. However, since she was the only one in Winterfell at the time, she couldn't speak for the entire North, so she sent the news to Robb.
But none of them had seen it with their own eyes, so no one believed in the Others, even with Benjen saying it himself. They only thought it was a trick by the Nights Watch to get these families to provide them with more resources.
One must know that the Nights Watch had used many such methods in history. That was why they later stopped providing aid to the Nights Watch, with even the nearby House Umber of Last Hearth eventually ceasing, leaving only House Stark.
However, hearing this, the Blackfish believed it somewhat. He felt that anyone who had truly seen a living dragon with their own eyes would likely believe.
Benjen had intended to come south himself to prove it. But as soon as he reached the outskirts of Moat Cailin, he would lose consciousness and his flesh would begin to rot, only recovering once he returned to Northern territory. Thus, he had no way.
When Catelyn came to see Robb this time, Benjen had specifically instructed her to convince Robb. But because she had caused the death of Ser Stevron Frey right after arriving, she was currently in a daze. Coupled with seeing how haggard Robb looked, she didn't want him to be distracted, so she hadn't pressed the matter. She felt the war with the Westerlands was more important right now.
Seeing the Blackfish shake his head, Greatjon also frowned and asked with his meager intellect, "Are you trying to say he'll come to fight us?"
"Is that not a matter of time?" the Blackfish said. He was now truly seeing the brainless side of the Northerners; they seemed to have completely forgotten what had happened in the past.
"He is a Targaryen. His father and brother died in the War of the Usurper, and his dynasty was overthrown by us. Do you think he will spare anyone who participated in that war?" He still offered them a reminder.
But in truth, he didn't hold much hope for the war in his heart either.
After all, when he saw the three-headed dragon outside the Bloody Gate, he had been completely stunned. It was far more shocking than the legends he'd heard. He truly didn't know how anyone could conquer such a massive creature.
At the time, out of fear for his life and the feeling that his niece Lysa wasn't worth dying for—that his death would be meaningless—he chose to flee. But now, though he knew he might die, he didn't want to run anymore because he didn't know where else he could go besides being here with Robb.
The Blackfish continued, "So my suggestion is that we can continue with the original plan to lure Tywin back to the Westerlands. If we can..." He pointed to a spot on the map. "...at this pass at the Golden Tooth, annihilate the main Lannister force, then we'll have one less enemy."
"Once the Lannisters are dealt with, we'll see about the Targaryen," he said. "If they haven't taken King's Landing by then, we'll hold talks for an alliance with Stannis and Renly. But if they've already taken it..."
He looked at Robb.
"...then we hurry back to the North and hold Moat Cailin. This pass into the North is easy to defend and hard to attack, and Moat Cailin is the only path south. Even if their dragons can easily fly over it, their army won't be able to cross for a short time. Moreover, we have enough provisions to last through that period, and then we can consider our next move."
Robb had remained silent, sitting in the high seat, his grey eyes scanning everyone present.
Brynden the Blackfish stood opposite him, carefully observing this King in the North who was still somewhat green but had been tempered into someone very resolute by the war.
"Your Majesty?" Finally, Old Karstark looked at Robb and asked, "What do you think?"
Hearing this, everyone's gaze fell on Robb once more, their eyes filled with expectation, wanting to know his thoughts. During this time, Robb had led them through many battles where they won against the odds, and they now had great faith in him.
Robb considered for a moment before speaking. "I think Lord Brynden is right. There is, after all, a blood feud between the North and the Targaryens. I will not forget these grudges, and I don't think the Targaryens will either."
He paused, then continued, "And our primary enemy right now is the Lannisters. The Lannisters killed my father..."
He clenched his fist and did not go on.
At this, Catelyn, who had been listening until now, finally couldn't help but ask, "But what about your two sisters? Robb, Sansa and Arya are still in King's Landing."
Her two daughters were still in Lannister hands, which was the reason for her restless days and nights.
If the Targaryens stormed King's Landing, would they die in the chaos? Would they be killed as Lannister hostages? Would they become targets for the Targaryens to vent their rage against the Starks? She didn't dare imagine what they might face.
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