Annan could now roughly confirm that Jacob and the Brotherhood of the North were indeed not on the same side.
If Jacob had any malicious intent towards Annan's regime, all he needed to do was kidnap Russell and sell her, not only to gain immense profit but also to cause catastrophic damage to the rule of the Winter family and even the traditions that the Winter Duchy had inherited to date.
Russell, being the only mutated Frost Beast with high-level Wisdom that could communicate through language,
held irreplaceable Transcendent significance for the Brotherhood of the North, and even other rebellious nobles... or any organizations or individuals who intended to or were thinking of rebelling.
Being able to speak and understand meant the ability to communicate – which also meant the ability to threaten, seduce, brainwash, and negotiate. It also indicated the possibility of being controlled.
