Chapter 102: Unruly foreigners
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long chapter(I was only 60 words short and would cut it in half.)
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POV of Eddark Stark
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The Prussian company in the north was expanding at an accelerated pace in the north, their success was mainly due to the fact that they had a huge budget from an interest-free loan granted by the Prussian bank to finance this commercial operation in the cold northern lands of the seven kingdoms.
With the financial backing of the bank, the Prussian company was able to invest in infrastructure, hire a large number of workers and acquire the necessary resources to run its operations. In addition, their rapid growth was also due to the efficient management of their resources and the quality of their products, which enabled them to gain the trust of consumers in the north. As they expanded, the Prussian company became a dominant force in the northern market.
Prussian steel was a highly desirable commodity for Northmen, sold in tools that made most daily jobs easier. Prussian steel tools were known for their durability and strength, making them highly desirable to consumers. This steady demand helped to further fuel the company's growth, as there was always a high demand for its products in the northern market. Over time, Prussian steel became a symbol of quality and reliability.
The armed arm of the company had expanded as rapidly as the company, making it the possessor of a force that was exceeding ten thousand men deployed in the five large Prussian garrisons established in strategic locations in the north. This ensured the protection of the company's commercial interests, as well as its ability to meet any threat or competition that might arise.
Due to the skillful negotiations of Prussian diplomats coupled with the field knowledge of the customs obtained by their Finnish explorers, it made it much easier for the Prussians to get very good prices for buying the right to use the land from the Northmen.
As knowledge of the customs also helps to avoid problems, on some occasions the Prussians almost mistakenly cut down the much-loved weirwood trees of the Northmen that served the function of a temple for them. Fortunately, thanks to the understanding of the Finns, any serious conflict was avoided and a smoother communication between the two sides was established. This collaboration demonstrated once again the importance of diplomacy and respect for the customs and traditions of different peoples.
Although the company was gaining the trust of the lower and upper classes in the north, there was one group that was not at all happy with the Prussians, very old and powerful noble houses, and the powerfull noble hoses were not at all happy with the Prussians.
Many lords suffered the escape of small folks, but none suffered as much as the Boltons, one of the oldest and most powerful noble houses in the North. Although at first the sale of land was successfully negotiated for the use of the bank of the White Knife River, seeing entire villages abandon their lands changed everything.
The Boltons viewed the presence of the Prussians in their territory with contempt and flatly refused to establish any kind of communication with them. Their wounded pride would not allow them to accept diplomacy as a viable solution, which generated constant tensions in the region. Despite the company's efforts to conciliate and offer more generous compensation, the Boltons remained steadfast in their rejection of them.
The second house was the Manderly, the Guardians of the White Knife, the house of southerners in the north who had grown rich through trade and their absolute monopoly on the control of grain imported from the south, the journey through the neck is dangerous and most of the grain shipments are by sea falling on their port being the only commercial port with the capacity to unload the large quantities of grain arriving from the south, the arrival of the Prussians and the deals they make with the north means a huge loss that has forced their lord to do everything possible to hinder the company's operations.
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''Fourteen thousand men is the latest number reported by the company, a number that seems impossible, but the Prussian company maintains and pays an army of those proportions with no problems; this is creating a risk, Lord Eddark'' said Rodrik Cassel with some concern in his voice.
''They are only dedicated to protecting the roads and their mines; they have not used their numbers to generate problems with other lords, although the Boltons are demanding that the Prussians return their small folks'' said Martyn Cassel.
''It's hard to do anything against them; they have only helped us stabilize my territories; they have done nothing illegal; they have kept their word'' I said as I ran my hands over my face.
''but it's a risk we have; unlike anything we've seen, the foreigners armed their men with steel; they all have excellent quality equipment, which could tip the balance in their favor in a confrontation. Also, their fame and reputation as skilled warriors preceded them, which further increased the risk to us. You saw them, brother,'' Rodrik added worriedly.
''the bulk of the soldiers are Northmen; they would never betray the Starks; the Prussians only want their profits; we don't want to anger them and change their minds about selling grain; the pact is very good; maybe no people should suffer this year'' Martyn said.
''Speaking of grain, what do we know about the company's representative? I asked those present.
''Lord Erich arrived last night accompanied by hundreds of wagons loaded with sacks of grain,'' Master Luwin replied.
''Are all the nobles here? To debate whether the price is fair,''I said, looking at Rodrick.
''Yes, most of the nobles are here; only a few lesser lords are missing, but they are all waiting for this meeting with the Prussians to discuss the terms of the grain sale. We hope this meeting will be beneficial to all and that a fair agreement will be reached,'' said Rodrick in agreement. Rodrick said, adjusting his hair.
''Make sure everything is ready. I'm going to give my regards to Erich'' I said I was getting up from my chair and walking to the exit.
Luwin started to follow me closely.
''Any recommendations with the Prussians?'' I asked the maester who was following me.
''The Prussians are very simple people. One of my fellow scholars has studied their society very carefully and has found that they value honesty and transparency in negotiations. It would be advisable to be direct and clear in our proposals, avoiding any kind of ambiguity or political games. Also, it is important to keep in mind that their culture is based on respect for authority due to their militaristic tendencies, so it would be appropriate to show respect to their leaders during the talks.'' Luwin said.
''Well, then I shouldn't do anything out of the ordinary'' I replied, walking out of the house.
As we left the castle, we encountered several company men who were unloading sacks of grain and weighing them before storing them in our barns.
Finding Erich was not difficult because that man was two heads taller than any man and just as wide as two men.
As I approached the Prussian nobleman, I noticed that he was furious, scowling, and making frequent grimaces.
''Lord Stark, I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in this ancient Northmen tradition. I hope not to cause you any trouble with my presence in your domain'' Erich said it with a tone of respect and courtesy. However, his gaze still reflected a certain tension.
''This benefits both of us, Lord Erich; I hope your journey was smooth'' I said, returning the kindness.
''The journey was smooth; we had problems unloading the grain... I don't think I can keep my lord's promise regarding the price, lord stark'' said Erich after giving a heavy sigh.
''What happened? Did your lord change his mind?'' I asked worriedly.
''The circumstances changed, but not in our territories. What happened is the main problem we have had with the Manderly, the fleet that travels from King's Landing. In a certain tributary way, we were prevented from docking the ships that transported the grain in White Harbor; they raised the mooring fee to the ships loaded with grain at too high a price''.said the Prussian nobleman
''Wyman?''I said a little doubtfully.
''Yes, that fat son of a bitch. Being the only port to unload the grain, we had to improvise and try naval maneuvers near the marshes of the neck. Five ships crashed against rocks; luckily, we managed to make a makeshift port in the area'' said the Prussian nobleman, quite annoyed.
''Lord Erich, I understand your frustration, but I remind you that defending the honor of my lords is my duty; you cannot insult them...'' I tried to say
''Really? You are going to defend cowardly scum; even though we tried to negotiate, he made us wait on the outskirts of his city without opening the gates for several days and then refused to negotiate'' said the Prussian giant.
"Erich, calm down; go get something to eat, and I'll sort it out," said the white wolf-headed man running towards us. His imposing presence and piercing eyes conveyed a mixture of wisdom and ferocity.
Erich made a sound with his mouth and left.
''lord stark'' said the mysterious man.
''What can we do to solve this problem?'' I said, looking back at the wolf's head.
''Only that we have the right to speak at the meeting from you; nothing else we will solve in the future; I need you to choose three sacks of grain at random, Lord stark'' said the man with his deep voice.
''What for?'' I asked, a little intrigued.
''You will know in the future'' he replied dryly.
I don't like these men, but he was of the same rank as Erich and should receive the same respect.
I did as he asked, and from among the several wagons carrying the grain, I chose three sacks, which the men of the company took and carried into the great hall.
After that, the wolf-headed man disappeared. It was time for us to meet, and I decided to go to the great hall where the nobles of the north met to make an accounting of how much gold we could spend buying grain from the south.
I took my place of honor in the center with my ancestral sword, waiting for everyone to slowly arrive. The last time there were fights over the small amount of gold contributed by some houses, with a little luck we could avoid it.
When all the nobles were in their areas and our Prussian guests were in position, I started our annual meeting.
''My lords, as every year we gather once again here in this place to discuss together, as our ancestors did, united, we are here to deliberate the necessary quantities of food that we must import from the south. Out of custom today, we receive a guest, Lord Erich, and his advisor, who have come to offer us an offer that had already been informed beforehand'' I said with authority and then pointed to our guests.
"They have brought with them interesting proposals that we must consider carefully. I hope we can all listen carefully to what they have to say and make informed decisions for the benefit of the North," I said, finishing the speech I had memorized.
Erich and the wolf-headed man walked to the center of the room, attracting attention not only because they were foreigners but also because of the Prussian's size.
As they approached, I could see the anticipation and curiosity on the faces of the lords present. It was evident that they were all eager to hear the proposals that the Prussians brought with them.
''Lord stark, honorable lords of the north, I am Erich von Bock, representative of the Prussian prospecting company. As you all know, I am the intermediary between Lord Hochzollern and you. Today, I humbly bring you the proposal of the company regarding the sale of grain. But there is a fact that I must rectify. Due to unexpected events, we will not be able to respect the price that I had presented before; it must be higher'' said the Prussian giant.
I stood and watched as several of my lords began to complain and even insult the Prussians.
''so all their words turned out to be empty; they made promises that now they do not fulfill'' shouted Lord Ryswell.
''Now that they seek to recover their gold from the compensation for the robbery of small folks, it seems that their plan is going well'' said Roose Bolton with a raised tone of voice, something rare in him.
''LORDS OF THE NORTH, I understand your frustration. I must admit we underestimated you in the north; we underestimated the Manderly monoply, the reason for the rise in grain prices, because the Lord Too-Fat-to-Sit-a-Horse here prevented our cargo from being unloaded at his port.
''We had to resort to extreme measures; it raised our costs and time, but we were always committed to our word; we did everything possible'' Erich raised his voice, silencing everyone from speaking in a calmer voice.
This time the gazes sat on Lord Manderly, who was quite calm in the face of the Prussian accusations.
''I did not deny you access to my ports'' replied Lord Wyman calmly.
''no, but five hundred golden dragons for the mooring of each ship in your port. Don't you think that's a bit excessive? You could almost buy a new ship with that gold, and don't try to play dumb. We have the original document from the customs officer, and the same officer offered to testify if you try to deny it,'' said the wolf-headed man, showing a papyrus to all the lords.
Lord Maderly began to sweat a little; it was not uncommon either; the Lord was too obese, and many common things were very difficult to do.
''I should act to defend the interests of the North; the grain you bring is only the leftovers of your crops, a food that not even the pigs would eat. If you think I would allow you to deceive the Northmen, you are very wrong'' said Lord Wyman with a serious voice.
Lord Erich began to smile and then looked at his advisor, who signaled to one of the guards in the hall.
The guards brought the three sacks of grain that I had chosen earlier.
The wolf-headed man took one of the heavy sacks in one hand and pulled a dagger from his pockets.
''Martyn, I told you to take the weapons away from the guests'' I mumbled to Martyn.
''I...I...I did it, my lord... I took everything he had on him,'' Martyn replied in disbelief.
With the dagger, he opened the sack of grain and dropped it in front of Lord Wyman.
The sound of the grains falling to the floor filled the room with a tense silence. Lord Wyman watched the grains closely; his expression became somber.
Without a word, the wolf-headed man did the same with the other two sacks, making a small mountain of grain that everyone watched in silence.
''These sacks were chosen at random by Lord stark from the entire shipment; we only brought the best; the garbage that is not fit to be consumed is discarded or used for something else, but the company's business policy is to only sell the best as we represent Prussia, and we would not allow the prestige of our state to be compromised by this,'' Erich said with a triumphant smile.
Whispers began to fill the hall, and glances focused on Lord Manderly, who was wiping away his sweat.
''I know it is difficult, Lord Manderly, but your monopoly is over; you can no longer go south to negotiate with your contacts and profit from the sale of grain that you can determine the price of, as it is very strange that the price of grain from the north is more than five times more expensive here than in the south, because if we even consider our expenses, we do not find a way to understand why it is so expensive to transport it—only greed''.
I don't know how you can sleep, while because of your decisions, hundreds of Northmen starved to death because you decided to fill your pockets by selling so expensive the most essential thing, food. The surprising thing is that you have been doing it for generations. I guess the other lords must understand it, because so far no one has complained'' said the wolf-headed man.
Lord Manderly fell silent, and the Prussians gave their bid.
Although it was more expensive than we had originally agreed, it was much cheaper than what the southern lords and the Manderlys were offering to bring him north.
We asked the Prussians to retire so we could start debating.
There was no objection; the Manderlys were completely silent, and the Boltons followed the example, while all the other lords were very happy as they looked over the grain and supplies that the Prussians would bring. It was clear that this offer was a unique opportunity to ensure the survival of the north during the winter.
The Prussians came in again, and we decided to buy from them fifty percent of the grain needed to fill the granaries for the next long winter.
Although what the Prussians said may not be true, the lords were very unhappy with the Manderly's; now they understand why they were so rich, or at least they believe the Prussians said so.
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