The Dustin Camp

[House Dustin]

A small collection of decently appointed tents inside the walls of Winterfell bearing the colors and banners of House Dustin.

[House Dustin]

Lord Dustin busied himself with helping his retainers erect the camp.

[The Flint]

Later that same evening, Lord Benjen arrived, accompanied by Brandon, The Flint, and his son Hother.

"Is Lord Dustin available to speak?" Benjen asked the man on duty.

[House Dustin]

The man-at-arms recognized Lord Benjen from the road. "I believe so, milord. Just a moment. He disappeared into the largest of the tents, and then came out to show them inside. Lord Dustin and his immediate family were inside. He rose, "Ah, hello my Lords Flint." He turned briefly to the man-at-arms, "Summon Owen here, would you?"

[The Flint]

Benjen nodded, "You met The Flint earlier," he says, gesturing to Brandon. "But he shared something with me, and I suggested that he share it with you also."

[House Dustin]

At that moment Owen Dustin walked in. "Hello, Lord Flint. This must be more of your relatives..." They got introductions out of the way.

When the greetings were done, Mors said, "Thank you Lord Flint. I would be honored to be brought into Lord Flint's confidences."

[The Flint]

The two Flint lords smiled and shared a look. the elder Flint spoke, quietly,

"This marriage is the will of the Lady Anya. It is not the will of the younger sister Melinda, who is vehemently against it. We know not why Lady Anya and not Lord Benjen would be the insistent match maker, but it is what Ryam's boy overheard, as Lady Stark and Lady Melinda spoke."

[House Dustin]

Mors looked thoughtfully back at The Flint. "Hmmm. It is clear to me now that I have spent too little, perhaps, at court. I have favored my own lands, and outside of Lord Stark himself, I do not know these Starks well." He turned to his brother. "What say you, Owen?"

Owen gave a strange expression. "I think I'll never be able to trust some fucking salty bastard from those islands."

[The Flint]

Benjen nodded in agreement with Owen.

"Brandon dropped some hints that distrust of the Ironborn might prove problematic, and Lord Stark took immediate offense to it, so he must be keenly aware of our concerns, yet set to proceed regardless."

[House Dustin]

"What could Lord Stark and The north stand to gain?" Mors asked rhetorically. "I understand alliances in uncertain times..." He shook his head, "But even my disdain for Andals and their Seven is lesser than my mistrust of the Ironborn and their Drowned God. What point is an alliance that isn't sure? Do these island-dwellers even value family enough to stay true?"

[The Flint]

"They take multiple women. Salt-wives, they call 'em," Hother growled, "They'll be taking a Stark lady as their whore, if we let 'em."

Brandon gave Hother a look that silenced him.

[House Dustin]

Owen spoke up, "The man is not wrong. She's not like to be respected. It couldn't be a pretext for war with them, could it?"

Mors grimaced. "Why would you want the Iron Islands? We have enough land."

[The Flint]

"And we've no ships to take them, even if we did want it," Benjen said, with a polite nod to Dustin, "Not enough ships, anyway."

[House Dustin]

Mors laughed despite himself. "I have about enough ships to patrol my wife's bathwater."

[The Flint]

"So what then? And what for Lady Anya, since the Lady Melinda believes it is she who pushes this accord. Does she seek to remove her sister from the household from some personal grudge? It seems a poor reason to bring the Ironborn into our hearth," Benjen said.