Stonehedge, Great Hall.
"You mean, you want me to help you gather stonemasons and carpenters from my lands?" asked Lord Janos Vance, seated comfortably in his high-backed chair, looking over at Arthur.
Arthur nodded earnestly. "Yes, but it's not just a few craftsmen. I need a large number of adult men to fell trees, dig trenches, move stones, and, ideally, a learned maester to oversee the construction. Preferably someone with experience building fortifications. Naturally, I'll pay."
"In addition, I'll need to stockpile food—barrels of potatoes, sacks of wheat and peas, spices, wine, clothing, and various supplies. I'd prefer to purchase these directly from your territory, Uncle."
Three days earlier, after organizing the villagers to begin repairs and initial groundwork, Arthur had realized the scale of the task far exceeded what he and Amber could manage. With only a thousand-odd available laborers, most untrained, they could barely dig or chop. Coordinating meals and lodging for so many left Arthur and Amber overwhelmed.
Inexperience, plain and simple.
Once the villagers had begun clearing pits in earnest, Arthur had ridden south with haste to Stonehedge to seek aid from his maternal uncle, Lord Janos.
The grizzled lord took a casual sip of Arbor red and smirked. "That's all? No trouble at all."
Having recently extorted three thousand gold dragons from Raventree Hall, Janos Vance was still basking in his victory over the Blackwoods and in high spirits.
He leaned back. "I'll send word to the master builders in my holdfasts and workshops. They'll assist you—free of charge. Adult men? How many are we talking? A few dozen? A hundred?"
Arthur met his eyes. "Two thousand. One month's labor."
Janos nearly choked on his wine. "Are you renovating your entire castle?"
Even in his sizable domain—easily home to over a hundred thousand souls—mobilizing two thousand adult males was no small feat.
Arthur shook his head. "No, I intend to construct a much larger fortress. One that can hold the surrounding populace if war comes. That's why it's a massive undertaking."
Janos laughed, thumping his cup down. "I like your ambition, boy. Don't you worry—if the Blackwoods dare retaliate against your lands, I'll send my men and chase them back to the Neck with spears up their arses!"
Like many in the Riverlands, Janos assumed Arthur's true concern was House Blackwood. Arthur did not correct him. No one, after all, could foresee Westeros' political tides over the next few moons.
At this moment in the realm's history, House Stark and House Lannister had only traded hostages. Had Eddard Stark not been executed by Joffrey's madness, and Robb Stark not declared himself King in the North, Tywin might have brokered peace upon Tyrion's return from the Vale.
But the direwolf cub lacked the wisdom of King Torrhen Stark, the last King in the North, who had once knelt to Aegon the Conqueror to spare his people. Robb's pride doomed them all.
Because of this, the Riverlands would soon become a battlefield soaked in blood. Peasants would be scattered, their stores looted, villages burned by all sides—Lannister, Stark, or otherwise.
Even the Northmen Arthur once admired allowed their troops to pillage and torch the Riverlands. No highborn, it seemed, was truly clean.
"Thank you for your help, Uncle." Arthur accepted a goblet of wine from a passing servant and took a sip. "Fine vintage."
Though the Arbor red was unremarkable, Arthur feigned appreciation. After all, he came seeking aid.
"If you can stay a few days in Stonehedge," Janos said, "I'll summon Benjen, the maester of Wayfarer's Rest. He helped build the granaries and watchtowers there. Knows his stuff."
The Vances of Wayfarer's Rest were kin to the Vances of Stonehedge. As a cadet branch, their relations remained strong.
"That would be excellent," Arthur replied, "but I still need to travel your lands to acquire supplies. If you could have Maester Benjen brought here, I'll offer him fair wages."
"Nonsense," Janos waved a hand. "Wayfarer's Rest owes me a few favors. Let their maester lend you his talents for free."
Arthur didn't understand why Janos was so generous, but he accepted the offer with sincere thanks.
The Earl of Stonehedge emphasized again, "Two thousand adult men. I can issue an order to ensure you get people who are truly capable and can work. All you need to provide is food and lodging."
Arthur nodded slowly. "Thank you very much." However, as he expressed his gratitude, a nagging feeling grew in the pit of his stomach. Something was off. These two conditions were hardly small favors, and he couldn't help but wonder what Janos Vance stood to gain from all this.
The lord leaned back in his chair, sipping from a goblet of wine, as his sharp gaze never left Arthur. "As for craftsmen—carpenters, stonemasons, and the like—I have many workshops under my name. Here's what I'll do: I'll have Hendry take you to the various villages this afternoon, and you can choose from them. The total number of masters and apprentices shouldn't exceed two hundred."
Arthur blinked, caught off guard by the sheer number of workers being offered. Two hundred men meant taking them from ongoing projects in several of Janos's workshops—an undeniable loss of productivity. Such a large number of workers pulling away would be no small sacrifice, something not lost on Arthur. Even so, he was reluctant to turn it down. The defensive stockade needed to be built, and the manpower offered was invaluable.
"I appreciate the offer," Arthur began, "but—"
Janos waved his hand dismissively. "No need for thanks, lad." The lord's voice lowered as he leaned forward, closing the distance between them. "However, if you manage to tie up some of the Braywoods' people, I'll be willing to offer you even more help."
Arthur's heart skipped a beat. "You mean to let me capture Brynden Braywood again?"
The very idea made his stomach churn. To capture the head of House Braywood again? That would undoubtedly anger not only the Braywoods but also the entire northern bank of the Red Fork River. Any hope of survival on that side would become untenable if he were to act on this request. It was an insane proposition.
Janos chuckled darkly, his voice an ominous rumble. "How else can you catch a sheep and fleece it?" he said, tapping his finger against his wine goblet.
Arthur's mind raced as Janos continued, almost carelessly listing the targets. "Old Tytos has three sons and one daughter: the second son, Lucas; the third, Horst; and the daughter, Bethany. All can be… kidnapped."
Arthur's face tightened. Kidnapping wasn't just a game—it would bring down the full weight of the House on him, potentially escalating matters far beyond his control. Yet, as Janos had said, it wasn't a direct order. It was simply something to "keep in mind." But Arthur still felt a sense of unease.
Janos gave a crooked smile. "Of course, I'm not saying you need to focus on this. Just keep an eye on it. If you get the opportunity, go after them. If you succeed, I'll support you further."
Arthur hesitated. This wasn't a request; it was a gamble, an open invitation to make a dangerous play. But in the long run, it didn't feel mandatory—at least not for now. He could always back out if the opportunity didn't present itself in the way Janos seemed to expect.
"Fine," Arthur said reluctantly, his voice betraying none of his hesitation. "I understand. I'll consider it."
A few months from now, the War of the Five Kings would erupt, and by then, who would remember such a trivial matter as this? Still, Arthur couldn't shake the feeling that he was being drawn into something larger than he understood.
After finalizing the details with the Earl, Arthur, Hendry, and Janos's daughter, Jayne, shared a meal in the grand hall of Stonehedge.
The next afternoon, Hendry took Arthur to over a dozen large villages scattered across the surrounding lands. There, Arthur personally selected two hundred craftsmen, ranging from experienced masters to eager apprentices. Afterward, he planned to transport them back to the riverside village, where they would begin the preparations for the stockade. In addition to the craftsmen, he intended to purchase large quantities of food and supplies, ensuring his labor force had what they needed to endure the task ahead.
That evening, as Hendry and Arthur returned to Stonehedge, the conversation turned once more to the developments.
"This Arthur is too much of a fuss," Hendry grumbled to his uncle when they arrived. "Isn't it just a small territory? Why is he making such a big deal out of it?"
Janos merely chuckled, unmoved by his nephew's complaints. "He's taking precautions against bigger families like the Blackwoods. He's right to be cautious."
Hendry sighed, shaking his head. "But surely not to this extent. It's as though he's preparing for an all-out war. He's just been holed up in his small castle for too long. He just had a spat with Raventree Hall, and now he's all jumpy and paranoid."
Janos nodded, acknowledging his nephew's point. "True. Lord Eddard and King Robert are both still young and strong, and peace should last. Arthur's reaction seems overblown, but I'll support him in whatever he chooses. I'll never oppose actions that challenge Raventree Hall."
The walls of Stonehedge echoed with their words, but the time would soon come when they would regret underestimating Arthur's foresight, as his actions would prove far more prescient than anyone in the Riverlands had imagined.
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