Game of Thrones: The Frozen Throne

After finalizing the plan, Edd led the northern nobles out of the central command tent and headed to the shore, where he gathered the captains to announce the orders.

Among these captains were dark-skinned Summer Islanders, silver-haired and blue-eyed Lyseni, short and stocky Ibbenese covered in thick body hair and reeking of whale oil, scruffy "Sistermen" captains, well-dressed Oldtown captains, and golden-haired Lannisport captains.

Edd raised his voice: "Captains, we have devised our strategy. The longships of the Three Sisters will lead the way. The mercenary ships from Pentos and the Summer Island ships will guard the flanks. Once our troop-laden ships reach Skagos, they will continuously unload soldiers for the invasion."

A rough laugh suddenly rang out from the crowd. Edd, Roose Bolton, and Marlon Manderly turned toward the sound and saw a filthy "Sisterman" captain. He was wiry, with a long gray beard and appeared to be in his fifties.

Theon Greyjoy snapped, "Old man, what are you laughing at? Lord Edd is explaining the battle plan, and you're standing here chuckling. Who are you?"

The old captain mockingly bowed. "I am 'Graybeard' Casseren. I couldn't help but laugh when Lord Edd mentioned anchoring large ships near Skagos. My lords, have any of you actually been to Skagos? The waters around the island are riddled with reefs. Ships bound for Eastwatch always steer clear of them. If a large vessel gets too close, it will likely wreck and sink, never to return."

Theon scowled. "Lord Edd and so many nobles have crafted this plan. Who are you to question it? Since when do we let the likes of you interfere in war councils?"

"Theon," Edd interrupted, "we lack knowledge about Skagos. Listening to others might benefit us."

Edd stepped forward and looked Casseren in the eye. "You seem like an experienced captain. You know these waters well?"

Casseren's gray beard twitched with amusement. "I've been to Eastwatch more than a dozen times! I often trade with the brothers of the Night's Watch."

Edd knew how poor the Night's Watch was—any ship captain dealing with them wouldn't make much profit. If Casseren frequently visited Eastwatch, it likely wasn't to trade with the Watch but to smuggle goods past them, likely dealing with the Free Folk beyond the Wall.

The wildlings had no coin; they traded goods instead. Common iron pots, old swords, battered armor, and bronze weapons from south of the Wall could fetch valuable bear pelts, rings, and amber trinkets beyond it. The weapons smuggled north might even be used against the Night's Watch, which was why the Eastwatch garrison hanged smugglers whenever they caught them.

As a captain from the Three Sisters, Casseren had surely dabbled in smuggling and piracy. That was hardly surprising. The Three Sisters, located in the Bite across from White Harbor, were barren and impoverished—an ideal haven for smugglers.

Lord Wyman Manderly had once written to Winterfell, complaining that the rulers of the Three Sisters sheltered smugglers who trafficked goods into White Harbor, costing its customs office a fortune each year. Wyman had urged Edd to petition King Robert to punish the island lords and their smugglers.

Edd had written to Robert in King's Landing, and Stannis, the Master of Ships, had led several royal warships north to punish the Three Sisters' smugglers. But the moment the royal fleet departed, the smugglers returned like flies to a rotting carcass.

According to letters Benjen Stark had sent back to Winterfell, many slaver ships from Lys, Tyrosh, Myr, and even Volantis bypassed Eastwatch to capture wildlings and sell them in the slave markets of Essos. Sometimes, Westerosi smugglers cooperated with them, hunting wildlings for profit.

Edd strongly suspected that Casseren had engaged in the slave trade, but there was no need to confront a captain currently fighting for Winterfell.

Domeric Bolton, heir to the Dreadfort, spoke up. "Graybeard, none of the naval records mention reefs surrounding Skagos. It's the North's largest island—there must be beaches suitable for anchoring large ships."

Casseren chuckled. "Those books were written by maesters—dusty old fools spinning tales to deceive you. Do you really trust them? If all the world's captains relied solely on books instead of reading currents, weather, and terrain, every ship would end up at the bottom of the sea. I sail past Skagos often. Why would I lie to you?"

A Lyseni captain chimed in, "A few years ago, my ship was caught in a storm on the Shivering Sea and blown toward Skagos. We hit a reef, and the hull flooded instantly. We barely escaped being captured by the Stoneborn. We only survived by fleeing to Skane, repairing our ship, and limping toward Eastwatch."

Casseren smirked. "Do you know why the savages of Skagos call themselves Stoneborn? Partly because of the island's mountainous terrain, which makes them as tough as rock. But also because of the reefs that surround Skagos."

It seemed that Skagos truly was surrounded by treacherous reefs. If large ships couldn't land directly, the difficulty of the invasion would double.

Greatjon Umber frowned. "If what you say is true and Skagos is surrounded by reefs, why aren't the pirate ships wrecking on them?"

Casseren shrugged. "Pirates use smaller longships, and they know where the reefs are. That's why they don't fear them."

Edd was beginning to understand why Winterfell had never been able to subjugate Skagos completely. The treacherous waters, combined with the North's lack of a strong navy, made the island nearly impossible to conquer.

Edd gazed eastward at the sea, knowing that somewhere across the Bay of Seals, Skagos awaited him.

"If large ships can't land, we'll lower small boats once we sight the island. The men will row ashore."

Ser Marlon Manderly looked uneasy. "Lord Edd, transferring to small boats will waste valuable time. If the pirate ships attack from both flanks, the men will be slaughtered before they reach shore. We aren't afraid of the Stoneborn—they fight no better at sea than Northmen do. But who knows how many Ironborn pirates are lurking on that cursed island?"

Wendel Manderly added, "What about our knights and cavalry? We can't fit many horses in small boats."

Ser Herman Tallhart spoke up. "And don't forget the supplies and rations. I suggest we land at multiple beaches rather than clustering together—otherwise, we'll be easy targets for the pirates."

Roose Bolton spoke softly, "My lords, we are entirely unfamiliar with these waters. I suggest we interrogate our prisoners. If we can turn one into a guide, they can lead us into Skagos."

"Or into an ambush," Mage Mormont said angrily. "Neither the Stoneborn nor the Ironborn can be trusted."

After listening to his bannermen's arguments, Edd made his decision. "The ships from the Three Sisters will lead the way. Once we near Skagos, fire arrows at any pirates in sight, but do not pursue them. Large ships will stay back, and men will disembark using small boats. Move out!"

Soon, Edd would see if the so-called "King of Stone" Samro Crowl, the "Iron Whore," and Haelen Pyke could withstand the full fury of the North's wrath.

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