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"Lord Stark," Cole said, looking at Eddard, who appeared a little haggard. "I thought you had returned to the North."
Cole took a bite of lemon pie—a mix of wheat flour, eggs, and lemon juice, baked into a crisp, bright yellow pastry. The castle had a pastry chef who, aside from making the daily bread, also prepared fruit pastries and pies.
A bitter smile crossed Ed's face. He didn't want to leave.
"Lord Stannis seems to have forgotten his guests," Lady Catelyn remarked, her face filled with displeasure.
She was frustrated with Stannis and his group for their indifference over the past few days. If he wanted the people of the North to fight for him, he should show their lord proper respect, she thought angrily.
Cole ate quietly, not sure what Stannis was thinking. In truth, sending Ed Stark back could only benefit him.
Cole had originally planned to advise Stannis to form an alliance with the North and Dorne first, then target King's Landing.
That night, Cole was going through letters in the main hall. These were all left by Stannis and were immensely helpful in understanding the situation. In this era, the only way to gather information was through people or letters.
While flipping through, Cole accidentally came across a letter from the North. It hadn't even been opened yet, indicating it had been sent recently. The envelope was stuck together with another letter.
After reading it, Cole stood and headed downstairs, but then stopped midway. It was getting late. He would deal with it tomorrow.
The guards assembled at dawn, and Cole led them on a run around the city walls. This had become the routine in Storm's End. After the run, the guards began their training, laughing and shouting.
Cole stayed until the training ended, after which Jose would assign a day of city defense duty.
The servants had prepared hot water, allowing Cole to take a bath without worrying about the water temperature.
Once refreshed, he made his way to the guest building and knocked on Eddard Stark's door. Lady Catelyn slowly opened it.
"I request to see Lord Stark, my lady," Cole said.
She stepped aside, letting him in.
Ed was sitting on the bedside, gazing out the window at the afternoon sun.
"Sir Julius?" he asked quietly, his brow furrowed and his expression melancholic.
Suffering had taken its toll on Lord Stark, once so honorable and resolute, making him appear weak and broken.
"I have a letter from the North," Cole said, pulling it out. "I thought you should see it."
Ed took the letter and read it carefully. The more he read, the heavier his expression became.
The Ironborn had launched a large-scale invasion of the North, capturing several northern fortresses, including Winterfell and Deepwood Castle.
The news struck Ed like a bolt of lightning. He jumped to his feet in haste, forgetting about his injured legs. He stumbled and fell out of bed, but Cole was quick to catch him.
"Your grace, please be careful with your legs," Cole warned.
Catelyn rushed to help her husband, her voice trembling with concern. "Ned, what's in the letter?"
"The Ironborn are causing trouble in the North," Cole explained. "They've captured Winterfell."
"What?!" Catelyn cried, her voice shaking with fear. "How are Bran and Rickon?"
"It's Theon, it has to be Theon. Robb sent him to Pyke," Catelyn muttered through gritted teeth. She had warned Robb that Balon Greyjoy could never be trusted. Even his children—sons of a pirate—could not be trusted.
"There's no news of your sons yet," Cole said, shaking his head. "The letter doesn't provide any specifics. It's very vague, and there's little to go on."
"Ned." Catelyn looked at her husband, who was sweating profusely, struggling to keep his composure. She swallowed the words she wanted to say. What could Ned do in this state? The maester had said his legs would need months to heal, and only a few days ago, he had been stubbornly wanting to join Stannis in King's Landing.
"Please, Sir," Ed pleaded, gripping Cole's arm tightly.
It was the first time Catelyn had seen her husband so desperate. Her Ned had always upheld his honor, willing to live and die by it, but now, in his suffering, he was pleading for help.
He loved their children, just as she did. They both feared for Sansa in King's Landing and for Bran and Rickon in Winterfell. But because of his injuries, Ed could only stay in Storm's End, helpless.
She saw the boy, about Robb's age, frown slightly. "Lord Stark, I'll have people keep an eye out for passing ships."
Cole walked out of the room, silently sighing to himself. He had to prepare.
Your Majesty, you cannot follow your original course.
He went directly to Gilbert Farin.
"Ser Farin, I never thought the king would entrust both of us with the responsibility of garrisoning Storm's End," Cole said.
"Sir, this is His Majesty's trust in us," Gilbert replied.
"Yes, I heard your son is His Majesty's attendant?"
"Yes, Baela Targaryen has always been His Majesty's attendant."
Cole nodded. "He'll make an excellent knight, just like the coat of arms of your family."
"Thank you for the kind words, sir."
"Have you spoken with Lord Stark?" Cole asked casually.
"We've had a few conversations."
"His Majesty Stannis is the most trustworthy man in the Seven Kingdoms," Cole said, pretending to be concerned. "But people tend to forget, just like I sometimes forget what I said."
Gilbert's brow furrowed, though he replied, "No one can remember every word they've said."
"True, but as vassals, how can we allow the king to break his promises?" Cole pressed.
Gilbert looked confused.
"I need to leave," Cole continued. "During my absence, I'm leaving Storm's End in your hands. You'll be the acting city lord, with my knights helping you."
Gilbert looked at him, shocked and unsure of Cole's intentions.
"My lord, where are you going?" he asked.
"To send Lord Stark back to the North," Cole said.
"You don't have to do that."
"Sir, we need allies," Cole said, locking eyes with him. "After His Majesty captures King's Landing, we'll still have enemies from the north and south—the Lannisters in the West and the Greyjoys in the Iron Islands. If we only rely on the Stormlands nobles, how long will it take to put down the rebellion?"
Gilbert wanted to argue that these matters weren't his concern. But remembering that the Marquis was an important minister of the king, with far more responsibilities than he had, he thought better of it.
He realized that this legendary general, left behind, might be carrying out some secret orders from the king.
If Cole knew what he was thinking, he would probably say: "No, you're overthinking it."
Cole simply understood that Stannis "might" be defeated, so he had to cover his bases. He didn't want the marquis title he had just acquired to be meaningless in the blink of an eye.
PS: It's been almost two months since I wrote this, and it will finally be published tomorrow.