-Chapter 42-
-POV Robb Stark-
The next day, at dawn, we headed to the agreed-upon place for the negotiations.
Ronnet was already waiting, flanked by his guards.
He had an assurance that made my blood boil, but I reminded myself why we were here and took a deep breath.
"King in the North," he said, greeting me in a haughty tone, as if I were one of his servants despite acknowledging my royal title. "Ready to negotiate?"
My patience was nearly at its limit, but I took a deep breath and said:
"All I want are my sisters and my mother, Connington. You can keep your empty titles and stolen lands."
He laughed: "You are in a difficult position to make demands, Stark, but perhaps I could be persuaded to return your precious family... if the price is right."
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-3rd POV-
The negotiation that followed was bitter. The King in the North, Robb Stark, faced Ronnet Connington and Tywin Lannister, the air heavy with tension, but eventually, they found common ground.
The terms were clear: in exchange for the safety of his mother, Lady Catelyn, and his sister Arya, Robb would have to pay a heavy tribute.
The indemnities were vast and seemed designed to severely weaken the North, both economically and militarily:
1. Armaments:
- 10,000 high-quality swords.
- 5,000 longbows with one million arrows.
- 3,000 pikes and 2,000 halberds.
- 500 full suits of armor for knights, with shields and helmets.
2. Gold:
- 100,000 gold dragons, a sum that would almost completely drain the North's reserves, already extremely low due to the cost of the war.
3. Hostages:
- Ten young nobles from the most influential families in the North would be sent to King's Landing and Connington's stronghold as a gesture of good faith.
4. Livestock:
- 20,000 sheep and 10,000 cattle. This would deprive the North of a significant portion of its food reserves for the coming winter.
5. Wood:
- 1,000 tons of firewood and 500 tons of construction wood. The North, with its vast forests, could afford this loss, but it would delay construction and preparation for winter.
6. Horses:
- 5,000 warhorses and 2,000 draft horses, a valuable resource for the Northern forces.
7. Various Goods:
- 2,000 barrels of salted fish, 1,000 barrels of beer and the highest quality Northern wine, and substantial reserves of furs.
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The terms were designed to bleed the North dry, leaving it vulnerable and weak. The Northern lords, upon learning the cost of Lady Catelyn and Arya's safety, were furious.
They felt betrayed, not by their king, but by the southern forces who sought not to build peace but simply to exploit them.
Despite the high price, Robb knew he could not put a price on the lives of his mother and sisters and that at this stage, the North had already lost the war.
However, he was also aware that these indemnities would put his kingdom in peril. It was a difficult choice where he could only make bad decisions, and there was no guarantee that even after paying the price demanded by the Lannisters and Connington, they would keep their word since the hostages from both sides would not be released for a year.