Game of Thrones: The Frozen Throne

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I have news that I would like to share with you. I have started writing a novel for Game of Thrones. The idea is something I have never seen before, and I think that I will do my best on it. I want you to help me if you find any mistakes so that I can fix them. There will be some changes in my novel from the original book and some things that will not be correct, such as the calendar. The calendar used by Braavos was not mentioned, so I will make them use the calendar of the Seven Kingdoms. These are not big changes, but they are changes. I hope for your support to continue, and I hope for your support if you find mistakes so that I can fix them. Thank you.

Enjoy

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Eddard wore a black fur coat, with the direwolf sigil of House Stark on his chest, standing with Catelyn at the edge of the training yard.

The Braavosi, Syrio Forel, was instructing Jon and Robb, while Arya held a wooden sword, training alongside Bran.

Recently, Arya had officially joined the training yard. In the past, Robb and Jon would teach her some basic sword movements, and she would secretly practice. However, Winterfell's master-at-arms, Ser Rodrik Cassel, never allowed Arya to stay in the yard for too long.

Recently, the old master-at-arms had gone to Winter Town to train the town's guards, leaving the training of Winterfell's children to the Braavosi water dancer, Syrio Forel. Arya seemed to get along well with Syrio, and since the Braavosi didn't mind training girls, she had managed to slip into the training yard.

Catelyn frowned. "How many times have I told you? Arya should be with Septa Mordane, learning embroidery and etiquette with Sansa. She spends all day running around with the boys—what kind of behavior is that?"

Eddard smiled. "She still attends her etiquette and embroidery lessons every day. If she wants to play, let her play."

Catelyn said, "Arya is too wild. She often doesn't listen to me, and as her father, you don't discipline her either. Yesterday, I told Syrio to stop training her, but he said that Arya has the potential to become a water dancer and an assassin. He wants to turn my daughter into an assassin!"

"Syrio was just speaking casually."

Eddard watched as Arya knocked Bran's wooden sword from his hands. Arya burst into laughter.

Catelyn looked at her daughter laughing and sighed. "She is becoming less and less like a lady. If we let that Braavosi train her, she will only grow more unruly. And speaking of Braavosi—don't we have too many of them in our castle? Eddard, I still don't understand why you let these Braavosi train our children. And then there's Klar managing our finances—he's a foreigner! What if he steals our money and runs away?"

Eddard said, "You're always so suspicious. Klar is my financial advisor. Managing the books and money is his job."

Catelyn wouldn't let it go. "I heard from Vayon Poole that Klar has taken a lot of gold from Winterfell's treasury. We only have one chest of gold dragons left. Do you really plan to let us starve?"

Eddard joked, "With the Stark-owned taverns, butcher shops, and inns we've invested in Winter Town, how could we possibly starve?"

Catelyn was not amused. "I looked at the accounts of the Stark taverns, butcher shops, and inns. Business is good, but the earnings are nowhere near enough to cover the cost of construction. Even sitting inside Winterfell, I can hear the craftsmen hammering at stones. The noise is driving me mad. All those stables, barracks, and forges you're building in Winter Town—it's madness. I fear it will become just like most of the abandoned castles along the Wall."

"Lady Stark, you are too pessimistic." Eddard spoke confidently. "The Wall's castles are abandoned because the Night's Watch does not take wives or have children. But Winter Town's people will continue to grow and thrive."

Catelyn took a deep breath. "The more you build, the poorer we become. We have to feed the laborers, pay the craftsmen, the guards, and cover the cost of transporting stone and lumber. What happens when our money runs out?"

"Then we will have to borrow."

In truth, from the moment Eddard had started expanding Winter Town, he had known that Winterfell would eventually have to go into debt—the only question was how much.

"Lord Wyman Manderly is more than willing to lend us money, but Klar suggested it would be better to borrow from the Iron Bank."

The lord of White Harbor, Wyman Manderly, was the wealthiest of the Northern lords. The ships that arrived from all over Westeros and beyond brought enormous tax revenue to White Harbor every day. White Harbor was not only a major, ice-free port, but also a rich land of warhorses and fish.

Since House Manderly was originally from the Reach and was the only major Northern house that worshiped the Seven, White Harbor had the highest number of knights in the North. More than a hundred landed knights had sworn fealty to House Manderly alone.

When Lord Wyman heard that Winter Town's expansion had put financial strain on Winterfell, he immediately offered to lend money, even at no interest. After careful consideration, Eddard had refused.

It was not unusual for a liege lord to borrow from his vassals—King Robert himself owed Casterly Rock millions of gold dragons. But Eddard did not want to be in debt to his bannermen.

If Winterfell became financially dependent on White Harbor, the other Northern lords would say House Stark was favoring House Manderly. And when it came to settling disputes between his vassals—who were constantly bickering over land, rivers, and borders—Eddard had to remain impartial.

It was rumored that Roose Bolton of the Dreadfort and Rickard Karstark of Karhold were already unhappy about having to transport salt fish to White Harbor for Lord Wyman to trade. If they learned that Winterfell had taken White Harbor's gold, it would only deepen their resentment.

When Catelyn heard that Eddard planned to borrow from the Iron Bank, she grew even more anxious.

"Have you lost your mind? Even in the worst of winters, we never borrowed from the Iron Bank. Have you forgotten that winter is coming? Have you forgotten the Northern cold? If we borrow money in the summer, what happens when the seasons change and we face a winter that lasts years? The interest will pile up like snow, and before spring arrives, we'll be enslaved by the Braavosi!"

From a distance, Syrio Forel's heavy Braavosi accent could be heard as he instructed Bran and Arya. Catelyn looked at him with disdain.

"Eddard, listen to me. Braavosi cannot be trusted. Send Klar away. And while you're at it, get rid of that Syrio Forel. They take our coin but scheme to push us into the Iron Bank's debt—this is treachery!"

Just then, the steward, Vayon Poole, approached.

"My lord, the Braavosi shipwright, Marlin, has arrived. He is waiting in the great hall for your audience."

Catelyn sighed in frustration. "Has Winterfell become the Sea Lord's backyard? Another Braavosi?"

Eddard chuckled. "Marlin was recommended by Lord Wyman. He worked in Braavos' shipyard for years and is highly experienced."

Catelyn said, "How much did Lord Wyman gain from recommending all these Braavosi to you? I truly wonder if he has sold us to the Sea Lord of Braavos. No wonder both he and the Iron Bank are competing to be our creditors."

Eddard sat on the direwolf throne to meet the shipwright.

Marlin was in his forties, with brown hair and a beard reaching his chest. He was thin and wore a robe of blue and black.

"Marlin, I heard from Lord Wyman that you worked in the Braavosi shipyards for many years. They say Braavos can build a ship in a single day—there is no better place to seek shipbuilders."

Marlin replied, "Lord Stark, I am from Pentos. Though I worked in Braavos for many years, I was born in Pentos. My family went bankrupt when I was a child, and I fled to Braavos to escape debt slavery."

A Pentoshi who had settled in Braavos—Catelyn might like that.

"Marlin, I heard that White Harbor's shipyard is already in use?"

Marlin nodded. "Yes. We have built fishing boats, galleys, and small merchant ships, but mostly, we have been repairing Lord Manderly's fleet. To be honest, I was a little disappointed when I arrived. Lord Wyman had written to me, saying that I was invited to build warships and create a Northern fleet."

Eddard said, "We do plan to build warships, but unfortunately, Winterfell lacks the funds. I imagine you passed through Winter Town on your way here—you saw the construction efforts firsthand. That is where our money is going."

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