No, my original plan was to ally with Romek - you can ask Jun. To that end, I closed my ports to the only trader in the region at that time, in Romek-style mass embargo. In response, you blockaded my only source of water trade or movement at all, which was still necessary. So, in a panic, I contacted several people, including Plethora, Vlast, Washk and of course Seris (you may ask them as well) - only Seris and Washk responded in time, Seris first. We broke the blockade and nonsense taxation, but your colonization south and my realization of my predicament meant that I realized the only way I could secure future trade would be land on the west side of the river.
You, unsurprisingly, did not accept my original terms, which were a gauge to see what exactly I could get. Your refusal to even negotiate further terms, rather than take it as an all-or-nothing ultimatum, was the cause of your current situation.