The Cells

[Edric Stark]

"Have you not heard? He is rather devout when it comes to Old Gods," Edric replied rather dryly.

[The Stranger]

Saxon nodded, "I find religious fervor tends to be broad enough of an interest to cover a wide variety of motivations. His devotion may be great, but there have been many great devotees of the Old Gods, and not all of them seek war with Lord Manderly. So can you be more specific?"

[Edric Stark]

"You are not a very religious man, are you, Lord Cave?" Edric asked with a humorless smile, not liking the implication, although there was some truth to it. "If not, how could you possibly understand? May I remind you that my brother's strife is with every house in the North that follows the Seven, not just the Manderlys. Or so I hear."

[The Stranger]

"So you hear," Saxon agreed, "I'm curious though. How many generations of you Starks were there before your brother came along? And how many of them warred on those who worshiped the Seven? Many, many generations of Starks, and none, I believe is the answer. Is your brother the first truly religious Stark to sit in Winterfell? I find that unlikely. So is religious piety the only motivation? No I don't believe it is. There is something more. After all, only by knowing the man's motivates can we seek to find a comfortable solution that does not involve bloodshed. Or at least, any more bloodshed then necessary."

[Edric Stark]

"There have been others, I am sure," Edric said, although he had never been maester's favourite in his history lessons. The answer was so painfully obvious, though, looking at the recent history between the Starks and the Manderlys. "You will have to talk to him yourself. I don't know what he is thinking."

[The Stranger]

"I think you do." Saxon replied, "You have at least an idea, that's why you aren't standing behind this little effort of his, I wager."

[Edric Stark]

"I do have an idea and I just told you about it," replied Edric, growing tired of repeating himself. "Was there anything else you needed?"

[The Stranger]

"I'm not here because I need to be," Saxon replied. "As I said, you Starks have been ever less than sociable, and having one cornered so I can finally speak to him is an opportunity I can't pass up. Please do have some wine, it's exceedingly good." As he spoke he refilled his own glass.

"So I imagine this has all put a crimp into your friendship with Queen Rose."

[Edric Stark]

Edric remained silent for a while, keeping a straight face as usual. From what he had seen, the queen might not have had a lot of say in this. "We shall see," he replied, shaking his head at Saxon's wine offer.

[The Stranger]

"Or perhaps not. One can never tell with the heart of a young lady. What some find base others amusing, what for some is barbarism is for the next the very sort of manliness that makes them swoon. I am sympathetic to your plight you know. For me it was my uncle. Now I admit Cave's Folly is not so nearly we'll known as the Darklyn rebellion, but the historical value has little impact on those personally affected."

[Edric Stark]

Edric had no idea what Lord Cave was even talking about. He was only familiar with the Defiance of Duskendale. "Cave's Folly? I have never heard of it."

[The Stranger]

"Of course you haven't," Saxon replied, "Because the Caves are a mere pimple on the butt of the Crownlands. Far insignificant compared to Duskendale, and a mere speck of nothing compared to the Starks. We were slightly less insignificant, once upon a time, But my Uncle, fool that he was, got delusions of importance, and I can tell you, they always end badly."

[Edric Stark]

Feeling like Lord Cave was attempting to draw parallels between some defiant act of his uncle and the current situation, Edric shrugged. "Yet here you are," he said. "The fact that your entire family was not exterminated for whatever it was your uncle did proves that he helped the Caves rise to a position in which you would not to be overlooked."

[The Stranger]

"No. I did that." Saxon replied. "and I am the last of the Caves, so in away, it was exterminated." He replied.

[Edric Stark]

"I see," said Edric, slightly annoyed that Cave started his story and then refused to share its key elements. He hated when people did that. In his experience, it was a very southern thing to do. "Well, it was nice of you to come by," he added, a tone of finality to his voice.