Chapter 177: Wood Dancer, King's Landing, Robert's Welcome

Waking up in a guest room at Harrenhal as vast as a Giant King's palace, the ghosts from the Godswood in his dream were so vivid and ferocious; troubled by the nightmare, Eddard was covered in cold sweat, while Catelyn slept soundly beside him.

"Do not forget to visit the Wood Dancer on the Isle of Faces." The weirwood bracelet on Eddard's hand seemed to still be whispering. That was the advice of the Green Seer, the three-eyed crow.

The Isle of Faces in the Gods Eye is one of the few regions south of the Neck that possesses weirwoods; in most other places, the heart trees have been mostly cut down and burned to ash over the long passage of time.

In the Godswood of Harrenhal, there are no weirwoods; the heart tree here is an ironwood, with a ferocious and terrifying human face carved into it.

"Blackheart" Harren, who built this majestic castle back in the day, was of ironborn descent, and he and his descendants worshipped the Drowned God of the Iron Islands. Presumably, "Blackheart" Harren would have thought an ironwood heart tree more in keeping with the temperament of the ironborn. Subsequently, none of the lords of Harrenhal appointed by the Targaryen Dynasty belonged to families that worshipped the Old Gods, so naturally, no one bothered to plant weirwoods in the Godswood.

The power of the Old Gods in Harrenhal is formidable; although there are no weirwoods in the Godswood of Harrenhal, thousands of weirwoods stand proudly on the sacred island in the center of the Gods Eye, the Isle of Faces, to the south of Harrenhal.

During the Dawn Age, the Children of the Forest and the First Men waged war for thousands of years; countless Children of the Forest and warriors of the First Men were buried in this endless war, and the forests, the earth, and the rivers were filled with sorrow. In the end, the leaders of the Children of the Forest and the First Men chose to sign a pact on the Isle of Faces in the Gods Eye to end this war.

To celebrate the reaching of the pact and the hard-won peace, the Children of the Forest and the heroes of the First Men carved human faces into every weirwood heart tree on the Isle of Faces, letting the Old Gods watch over this sacred pact.

It is said that there is still an organization of "Green Men" on the Isle of Faces who guard the weirwoods; legend has it that the Green Men are Children of the Forest, while some say the Green Men are merely the descendants of the heroes of the First Men who have guarded the Isle of Faces for generations. Whatever the truth may be, no one knows what the Green Men warriors actually look like.

After Catelyn woke up, Eddard told her, "Catelyn, I am going to the Isle of Faces."

Upon hearing Eddard's plan, Catelyn was astonished.

"Harrenhal is full of ghosts, and the Isle of Faces is even older than ghosts; many young men and maidens of the riverland nobility have tried to row boats to the Isle of Faces, but none have returned alive. Why are you going there? It is a place of ill omen."

"It is a sacred place," Eddard corrected. "For the southerners who worship the Seven, the Isle of Faces, covered in weirwoods, might be dangerous, but do not forget, House Stark has worshipped the Old Gods for generations, praying before the weirwood heart tree for ages."

Catelyn asked worriedly: "Can the weirwood heart tree in the Godswood be the same as the weirwood heart trees on the Isle of Faces?"

Eddard held Catelyn's hand, "Have you forgotten? Before the weirwood heart tree in the Winterfell Godswood, the mother wolf Summer gave birth to the wolf pups that watch over our children? And the dragon-wolf was also born under the gaze of the weirwood heart tree."

Catelyn thought for a moment, "That may be so, but how can you ensure your own safety going to the Isle of Faces? I hear there are Green Men on it!"

Eddard smiled, "The Isle of Faces is a holy place watched over by the Old Gods; I will ride a Giant Eagle and return very soon."

If the three-eyed crow spoke the truth, besides the Green Men, there are also Wood Dancers on the Isle of Faces.

According to ancient books, Wood Dancers were hunters among the Children of the Forest; in the wars against the First Men and the Andals, Wood Dancers would summon thorns and branches to entangle enemies, slowing their advance. Legend says powerful Wood Dancers could awaken the ancient spirits of the forest, allowing ancient trees to transform into tree-warriors to fight for the Children of the Forest.

However, Wood Dancers have been missing from historical records for thousands of years, and the legends and stories about Wood Dancers are even rarer than those about Green Seers.

The three-eyed crow is the last Green Seer; he instructed Eddard to go to the Isle of Faces to visit the Wood Dancer. Eddard surmised that the Wood Dancer, at the very least, belongs to the ranks of powerful mages like the Green Seer; as for whether the Wood Dancer is human or one of the Children of the Forest, no one knows.

Eddard had breakfast with Lady Shella Whent, and he presented a letter from Duosite. Duosite currently serves Eddard at Winterfell, responsible for the study of mysticism and magic; Duosite grew up at Harrenhal as a child, and Lady Whent was his patron when he went to the Citadel.

Lady Whent said excitedly: "Duosite is a distant relative of House Banefort of the Hollow Hill in the Westerlands; everyone knows that House Banefort are descendants of the Hooded King. The Hooded King, Morgan Banefort, was a necromancer, so Duosite's bloodline carries a bit of madness."

"When he was a child, his father was a servant at Harrenhal and his mother was a washerwoman; both his parents have passed away. His mother also left Duosite a bastard sister named Pia; her mother hoped before she died that Pia would become a septa, but now, Pia has become a harlot. I let her manage the storeroom, and she just messes around with men in there."

"Fortunately, Duosite finally became a Maester, which can be considered fulfilling his mother's dying wish. I remember that when Duosite was a child, he often wandered around the Kingspyre Tower and the Widow's Tower, saying he was looking for ghosts lost in Harrenhal; he also often clamored to go on an adventure to the Isle of Faces! Truly a naughty fellow."

Eddard opened a goose egg and cut a piece to eat, "I am going to the Isle of Faces to take a look today."

The smile on Lady Shella Whent's face vanished, replaced by fear, "Lord Eddard, you cannot go to the Isle of Faces!"

"Harrenhal borders the Gods Eye, and there are many fishermen in the Harrenhal territory, but no one dares to approach the Isle of Faces to fish. Not a single boat that has approached that mysterious island has returned alive; some fishermen's bloated corpses are washed back to the shore, their mouths stuffed with the scarlet leaves of the weirwood heart tree. Believe me, no boat can reach the Isle of Faces."

Giant Eagle Prince Michu rode a Giant Eagle, sweeping past the windows of the Great Hall of Harrenhal.

"Lady Shella, if I do not take a boat, but ride a Giant Eagle to the Isle of Faces, what do you think?"

Lady Shella Whent looked at the Giant Eagle outside the window, "Lord Eddard, your wildling Giant Eagle Knights are indeed shocking; I have lived to this age, and this is the first time I have witnessed a Giant Eagle. Giant Eagles can conquer the blue sky and soar with wings spread. However, I must remind you that a Giant Eagle may not necessarily fly smoothly over the Gods Eye; do not forget, dragons have also fallen over the Gods Eye."

Eddard frowned, "Are you talking about the battle over the Gods Eye during the Dance of the Dragons?"

Lady Shella Whent nodded, "Prince Daeron, the 'Prince of Flea Bottom', riding the dragon Caraxes, faced Prince Aemond the 'One-Eye', riding the dragon Vhagar; both dragons and both dragonriders fell to their deaths, swallowed by the Gods Eye."

"Many people would think that the dragonriders and dragons simply died in battle and fell, but as someone who has lived at Harrenhal for decades, I would rather believe that the heart trees on the Isle of Faces interfered with the dragons. Under the gaze of a thousand terrifying human faces, even a dragon must tremble and die."

Eddard had not really thought of this layer before; if even dragons trembled and fell over the Isle of Faces, what hope did a Giant Eagle have? Perhaps riding a Giant Eagle to the Isle of Faces was not as wise as previously planned.

For this trip south to King's Landing, Eddard and Giant Eagle Prince Michu brought a total of two Giant Eagles; at Winterfell, there are still over twenty Giant Eagles. What made Eddard even happier was that some of the Giant Eagle eggs brought to Winterfell by the wildlings of the Giant Eagle Tribe showed signs of hatching.

Now, Eddard's skinchanger ability is becoming increasingly powerful; he can control Giant Eagles, bears, direwolves, and other animals without distraction.

After finishing breakfast, Eddard came to the vast courtyard of Harrenhal, where Domeric and Sir Wyllis Wode were discussing lance techniques. Arya was chatting with a servant named Wys, and an ugly spotted bitch was wagging its tail nearby.

Eddard whistled, and a Giant Eagle landed in front of him; Eddard leaped onto the city wall of Harrenhal, which was like a dangerous cliff, and he leaped off the Giant Eagle, landing steadily on both feet.

Giant Eagle Prince Michu rode a Giant Eagle and landed beside Eddard; Eddard and Michu stood on the city wall, overlooking the Gods Eye to the south.

"Michu, do you think a Giant Eagle can take me to the Isle of Faces in the Gods Eye?"

Michu said: "I heard the servants in Harrenhal say that the Isle of Faces is full of weirwoods; that is a land belonging to the Old Gods. The Giant Eagle is a gift from the Old Gods; we should have no problem reaching the Isle of Faces riding the Giant Eagle. Lord Eddard, I will accompany you."

"No need, I dare not risk my Giant Eagle Prince." The outcome of going to the Isle of Faces is uncertain; the more people who go, the greater the risk, and it might even provoke the "Green Men" and the Wood Dancer who guard the Isle of Faces.

Eddard rode the Giant Eagle, swooping down from the towering city wall of Harrenhal; Harrenhal and Harrenhal Town were in full view beneath the Giant Eagle's feet. The townspeople stopped one after another to watch the Giant Eagle in the sky. Eddard steered the Giant Eagle south, flying over the Gods Eye, with the shimmering water surface unfolding below.

The Gods Eye is one of the largest lakes in Westeros; after several hours riding on the back of the Giant Eagle, Eddard finally saw that mysterious island covered in a thin layer of mist, the Isle of Faces.

Thousands of weirwoods stood on the Isle of Faces like sentinels; Eddard saw the human faces on the weirwood heart trees. The gaze of a thousand divine eyes.

When they were only a hundred meters from the island, the Giant Eagle began to circle, refusing to fly forward; Eddard had no choice but to stroke the Giant Eagle's head.

"You cannot stand the gaze of a thousand eyes either?"

Eddard controlled the Giant Eagle to begin its descent; when they were close to the water, Eddard jumped into the water, deciding to swim the remaining distance. The Giant Eagle flapped its wings and flew away.

Sunlight shone on the weirwood heart trees on the Isle of Faces; the bone-like branches and blood-red leaves radiated a peaceful glow in the sunlight, and Eddard felt the gaze of the human faces on the weirwood heart trees.

Legend says that when the pact was signed, the Children of the Forest and the heroes of the First Men carved the human faces of a thousand weirwood heart trees on the Isle of Faces; the number of weirwoods today might be even greater. Eddard walked through the weirwood forest, with blood-red leaves and reddish-brown soil beneath his feet.

A touch of green appeared in the weirwood forest; among the white trunks and blood-red leaves, the green was particularly conspicuous. Eddard saw that the person approaching was short, draped in clothes woven from leaves, only as tall as Arya; he had deep chestnut skin and long, large ears, with eyes like green ponds.

More dwarf warriors wearing green leaf clothes emerged in the weirwood forest; every warrior carried a weirwood longbow, their quivers filled with obsidian arrowheads, and obsidian daggers hung at their waists.

Eddard said in surprise: "Children of the Forest? Are you Green Men warriors?"

The lead Green Man warrior nodded, "Eddard Stark, you have finally come; the Wood Dancer is waiting for you." The voice was as pure as a spring in the winter wilderness.

Eddard said: "You knew I was coming? Did the three-eyed crow tell you?"

"A thousand eyes are watching." The Green Man warrior led Eddard through the weirwood thicket, walking toward the depths of the forest; they finally entered a cave.

In the cave, there were weirwood roots everywhere, like pale snakes slithering; the roots were hung with glowing magic stones, and the cave, which should have been pitch black, was as bright as day.

"The Wood Dancer is there."

Following the direction of the Green Man warrior's finger, Eddard saw the Wood Dancer sitting on a weirwood throne; she was a withered, hunched old crone, even older than Old Nan of Winterfell. The old crone held a weirwood staff in her hand, her hair was like withered grass, and weirwood roots sprouted from her ribs and chest cavity.

Eddard felt a churn in his stomach; only when he walked up close did he notice the old woman's eyes—one blue, one green—and around her withered neck, she wore a necklace of sapphires and emeralds, incomparably magnificent.

The old woman stared at Eddard with those two eyes, one blue and one green, without saying a word; Eddard felt a chill in his heart and had to speak to break the silence.

"Wood Dancer, the Three-Eyed Crow sent me to find you. He wants me to remind you that the Great Other approaches, and Winter is Coming."

A ferocious smile appeared on the old woman's face.

"The Great Other is here, the Others are here; this is as certain as the sun setting in the west. The question is, what use is it for the Three-Eyed Crow to send you to warn me? There are only a hundred or so Children of the Forest on the Isle of Faces; even counting the Children of the Forest with the Three-Eyed Crow beyond the Wall, the total number of Children of the Forest on the Isle of Faces and beyond the Wall does not exceed two hundred."

"Counting on such a tiny handful of Children of the Forest to resist the army of cold and death—what are the odds of victory?"

Eddard had not expected the Wood Dancer to be so pessimistic; he was stunned for a long moment. "Humanity will fight side by side with the Children of the Forest."

The old woman spat a mouthful of blood-red saliva. "It was humans who chopped down the weirwoods back then. In the Dawn Age, the First Men chopped down the weirwoods; after the pact was signed, it was the Andals who crossed the sea and became the ones chopping down the weirwoods. There are still some weirwoods in the North, and for that, we must thank the Green Seers of old, who gathered together to summon the sea to flood the Neck and block the invaders' path."

Eddard displayed the Obsidian Dagger in his hand. "Obsidian has been discovered in the North at the Lonely Mountain and the Northern Mountains; the yield of obsidian in the mountains of Skagos is even more astonishing. I have already ordered the North to produce obsidian weapons, and currently, the obsidian weapons on the Wall are quite sufficient."

The old woman gave a light huff. "Wolf King, you have a clever brain; perhaps that is what the Three-Eyed Crow saw in you, choosing to work with you to resist the Others. The Others are indeed afraid of obsidian; an obsidian dagger or obsidian arrowhead can kill an Other in one strike, but that was eight thousand years ago."

"Eight thousand years ago, it was by relying on obsidian weapons and the Wall that the Night's Watch and the Children of the Forest together ended the Long Night. In the eight thousand years since, do you expect the magic of the Others to have made no progress? According to the messages sent by crows, the climate in the Land of Always Winter beyond the Wall has grown increasingly cold, and the Others are even forging armor of ice. If ice armor can negate the advantage of obsidian, then humanity's desire to defeat the Others is nothing but a pipe dream."

Eddard stroked the Valyrian Steel Greatsword, Ice. "Valyrian Steel is also the bane of the Others; even with ice armor, a Valyrian Steel Sword can still prevail."

The old woman was clearly unimpressed. "How many Valyrian Steel weapons are there in the Seven Kingdoms? These are ancestral swords possessed only by nobles; currently, in all of Westeros, one might not even be able to scrape together two hundred. Moreover, would the nobles be willing to bring out their ancestral Valyrian Steel swords to deal with the Others?"

Eddard said: "In Winterfell, a dragon has hatched."

The old woman narrowed her eyes. "I have seen it all through the Weirwood Heart Tree of Winterfell: a small, grey-black mongrel with blood-red eyes. That dragon is not even as big as a goat yet; what use is it?"

A drop of thick tree sap dripped onto Eddard's shoulder. "In a few years, the dragon will grow."

The old woman said: "That is only if the enemy and the servants of the Great Other give you the chance. You know better than I how many dragons died in the Dragonpit of King's Landing and on Dragonstone. Furthermore, even if a dragon grows up, it is not an invincible existence. Queen Rhaenys and her Meraxes fell at Hellholt in Dorne, and Jacaerys and his dragon Vermax died in the Gullet."

"The Citadel will conspire to kill dragons, your enemies the Lannisters will conspire to slaughter dragons, and those vassals of yours with questionable loyalty will also entertain the thought of finishing off the dragon. Even if this dragon of yours, named Flying Wolf, escapes the assassinations of the Citadel and the assassinations of political rivals, and grows larger than Balerion, how much of a role can it play in resisting the Others? I am very curious."

Eddard pondered for a long while. "The dragonfire breathed by a dragon can kill wights; I believe..."

The old woman interrupted him. "Dragonfire can indeed burn wights to death, but no one knows its power when dealing with the Others. It is no secret that the Others can manipulate dead bears and mammoths to fight for them; this means that once a dragon is killed by the Others, it will be reduced to an Ice Dragon controlled by the Others."

"Do not doubt it; the death-arrows of the Others can easily slaughter a dragon. At that time, what the Ice Dragon breathes will not be scorching dragonfire, but ice. By then, the Ice Dragon will become a sharp weapon in the hands of the Others. I very much doubt whether the Three-Eyed Crow, when helping you hatch the Dragon Egg, ever foresaw this danger?"

Once the dragon grew up and turned into an Ice Dragon to attack Winterfell and the Wall, using ice to slaughter the residents of villages and towns—at the thought of this, a chill ran down Eddard's spine. In truth, Eddard had long known of this risk, but he was simply unwilling to think about it; he remained immersed in the joy of the Starks possessing a dragon.

It took Eddard a long while to find his voice. "I will protect the dragon from harm."

The old woman said: "Wolf King, if you want to protect your people, your dragon, and the Wall, then turn around and return to the North immediately! Gather your Northern vassals, hold the Wall, and wait for the Others to attack; that is the best choice."

Eddard was surprised. "King Robert has summoned me."

"Kings are but men, and in the end, dust returns to dust, earth to earth." The old woman sighed. "Greed for power is the madness in the blood of kings and nobles. When the Three-Eyed Crow was still Brynden Rivers, he, Bittersteel, Daeron I, and Daemon Blackfyre played exactly this kind of game."

"I was once a king's daughter, a king's bastard sister. My bastard brothers were either Hand of the King or accomplices to the Usurper; some fought for the Black Dragon, some fought for the Red Dragon. Now they are all dead; only I and the Bloodraven Duke Brynden Rivers remain, lingering on."

Eddard looked at the old woman's green and blue eyes, then at the necklace of sapphires and emeralds around her neck.

"I know who you are. You are the bastard daughter born to 'Aegon the Unworthy' Aegon IV and his last mistress, Serenei of Lys: Shiera Seastar."

Shiera Seastar was one of the most famous beauties in the history of the Seven Kingdoms. She was the last bastard daughter of Aegon the Unworthy, and her beauty made the noble maidens of the Seven Kingdoms pale in comparison. The story of how her bastard brothers, 'Bittersteel' Aegor Rivers and 'Bloodraven' Brynden Rivers, loved and killed each other to compete for Shiera Seastar is a favorite among singers.

A beauty who once could topple kingdoms had now become a withered old crone; Eddard could not help but lament the cruelty of the Creator. "History books say you inherited your mother's Blood Magic and relied on bathing in blood to maintain your beauty."

Shiera Seastar revealed an ugly, toothless smile. "History books also say I long ago faded away and am no longer in this world. Now, you see, I continue to live as the Wood Dancer, so history books are not necessarily true."

"Back then, both Bittersteel and Bloodraven pursued me. I chose Bloodraven, and Bittersteel went mad because of it. Bittersteel is the most resentful person I have ever met. He was an angry man, always frowning. Bittersteel fought for the Black Dragon and supported the Blackfyre Rebellion many times; he went into exile across the Narrow Sea and created the Golden Company."

"As the first commander of the Golden Company, he died in an insignificant war in the Disputed Lands of Myr and Tyrosh. Singers would have us believe that when Bittersteel died, his weapon was in hand, cursing incessantly, dying as he should have. But I tell you, Bittersteel absolutely died with his eyes open; such a way of dying was destined to make him angry, thus becoming a vengeful spirit."

Eddard said: "Bittersteel's skull was crafted into a Golden Skull and hung in the camp of the Golden Company. All subsequent commanders of the Golden Company have continued this tradition; they yearn for the descendants of Blackfyre to bring the Golden Skull and return."

Shiera Seastar said: "Now, let alone the fact that the Blackfyre bloodline is extinct, even the Targaryen dragon dynasty has collapsed; Bittersteel's Golden Skull will likely have to frown again. I have no doubt that the Golden Skull is a form of Dark Magic. Believe me, Bittersteel will return in some form; a person like him cannot possibly be truly dead."

Eddard said nervously: "Do you think Bittersteel will become a servant of the Great Other?"

Shiera Seastar shrugged. "Why not? The Others can resurrect the dead, and Bittersteel's nickname is quite consistent with the nature of the Great Other. You saw the ghosts of Harrenhal in your dreams; they live in the past, and they may also return to the present. For the sake of the Bittersteel army that might appear beyond the Wall, Wolf King, are you willing to listen to my advice, return to the North, and prepare for the war against the Others?"

Eddard said helplessly: "If I return to the North, King Robert will doubt my loyalty. By then, before the Others even arrive, the enemies in the South might attack the North. Caught in the game of power, I am not my own master."

Now the royal court in King's Landing had sent an invitation to Eddard; Robert wanted to prepare a grand Tourney, theatrical performances, and court feasts for Eddard to celebrate the Wolf King's conquest. If Eddard left and returned to Winterfell halfway, no matter how much Robert trusted Eddard, he would grow suspicious.

Moreover, without Eddard's support, how long Jon Arryn and Robert could hold out in King's Landing was also a question.

Jon Arryn was an upright man, and Robert was a rough-hewn fellow; neither disdained schemes and plots, but they were surrounded by schemers like Varys, Littlefinger, and Cersei. People would notice that Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen looked less and less like Robert as they grew older. For the Lannisters to hold onto the Iron Throne, it was only a matter of time before they moved against Robert and Jon Arryn.

Eddard could only go to King's Landing. Shiera Seastar on the Weirwood Throne said helplessly: "Even a king cannot do as he pleases, so then go to King's Landing in the South!"

Eddard looked at Shiera Seastar's aged face. "Duke Bloodraven became a Green Seer; I know it is because of the First Men blood in his veins. His mother came from the Blackwood House of Raventree Hall, and the Blackwood House are descendants of the First Men who worship the Old Gods. Lady Shiera, your mother came from Serenei of Lys and had nothing to do with the First Men. You should not have First Men blood; why were you chosen as a Wood Dancer?"

Shiera Seastar seemed to find this question quite interesting. She laughed: "My mother came from Lys, but she had First Men blood. My grandmother was a Wildling from beyond the Wall; Lysene slave traders captured her at Hardhome beyond the Wall. Because my grandmother was beautiful, she was trained as a Bed Slave."

"She was a wild, untamed female Wildling. Every time a patron wanted to go to bed with her, she would struggle and resist with all her might, but the more she did so, the happier the patron was. Eventually, she was bought by a Lysene prince with Valyrian blood, who fathered my mother. So, I have Wildling blood."

Eddard said in surprise: "So you have Wildling blood."

Shiera Seastar said: "Your migration of over a hundred thousand Wildlings to the North is a great act of kindness. Through the weirwood, I heard the prayers of the Wildlings before the Heart Tree; the Wildlings call you the Father of Life and the Wolf King."

"The North is the front line for all humanity to resist the Others. Eight thousand years ago, the First Men and the Children of the Forest, because of their shared faith in the Old Gods, stood together to defeat the army of the Others and end the Long Night. In the eight thousand years that followed, the Andals arrived, using sword and fire to chop down and burn the weirwoods south of the Neck; the faith of the Seven replaced the Old Gods, and humanity and the Children of the Forest drifted further and further apart."

Eddard said: "I think that if people of the faith of the Seven realize that the Others are a threat to all humanity, they can also fight against the Others. The Manderly family of White Harbor in the North are followers of the Seven, and the Manderly family has always been loyal to the Starks and Winterfell."

Shiera Seastar said: "If you can conquer the other regions south of the Neck just as you conquered the Wildlings beyond the Wall, and unite people of different faiths, the odds of humanity defeating the Others will be even greater."

Shiera Seastar gestured, and a Child of the Forest brought over a weirwood bowl. "This is a gift for you."

Eddard saw the sticky liquid in the wooden bowl and asked curiously: "What is this?"

Shiera Seastar stroked her weirwood staff. "This is the essence extracted from the sap of a thousand Weirwood Heart Trees on the Isle of Faces, combined with the stones and soil from all over the Seven Kingdoms—including the stones of the Vale, the rainforest soil of the Stormlands, the fertile soil of the Reach, the black soil of the North, the frozen soil beyond the Wall, the sand and stone of Dorne, the river mud of the Riverlands, the iron ore powder of the Iron Islands, and so on."

"The Old Gods are the nameless deities of the forests, the earth, the rocks, the brooks, and the mountains. After the Children of the Forest die, their souls merge into the earth, the trees, and the rocks. If you drink this magic potion, you will be able to receive the guidance of the Old Gods."

Eddard drank the viscous magic potion; it tasted salty, with the flavors of tears, soil, tree roots, and rocks.

The world spun; Eddard felt a thousand eyes on the Isle of Faces open for him simultaneously, and he felt a wave of dizziness.

Fragmented and shattered, Eddard found himself in the midst of a vision.

He saw the face of a young Robert, laughing like thunder, flirting and whispering intimately with one young and beautiful girl after another.

A black-haired girl drove a mule, walking between steep mountains surrounded by snow-covered peaks; a frowning black-haired blacksmith's apprentice, with knotted muscles, angrily wiped a Horned Helmet; in an inn under a large bell, a shy black-haired maiden sat on a patron's lap, holding a peach in her hand.

In the castle under the storm, a sturdy black-haired boy practices swordsmanship with a white-haired old man in the training yard; in a brothel, a black-haired baby girl is nursing at her mother's breast.

He sees a cave covered in golden thatch, inside which are many fawns, all bitten to death by a fierce lioness, blood flowing out of the cave, while three lion cubs follow behind the lioness, spirited and lively, starting a feast on the bodies of the fawns.

Suddenly, black seawater sweeps in, submerging the Smith's furnace, rocks, and stables; a terrifying wolf-skin tent, blood-stained, reveals a horrific red in the dawn; at a banquet, a group of weasels starts a feast with wolf meat and fish; a storm of death rolls in, and the eagle falls to the ground.

The Golden Father drives his chariot, while lions, vicious dogs, and black goats trample the earth and villages, leaving bones everywhere; a stag burns with raging fire on its head, its eyes gloomy and cold, stepping over the sept and the Weirwood Forest with burning antlers; the king sits on the ancient throne, wearing a rose crown, dripping with blood.

The visions come faster and faster; in Eddard's mind, it is as if a dragon war has erupted; he nearly falls to the ground, barely managing to stand steady, only then returning to reality to find he has left the Wood Dancer's cave; he stands by the lake on the Isle of Faces, sunlight shining on his face.

The Green Men guards are all gone, and the Weirwood faces surrounding him stare at him, the leaves rustling as if urging him to leave the Isle of Faces.

Eddard cannot help but ponder what those visions mean; he recognizes the children in the visions as Robert Baratheon's bastards, some children looking very much like Robert did when he was young, recognizable at a glance. This is the guidance of the Old Gods, for Eddard to save those children.

Joffrey Baratheon, Myrcella Baratheon, and Tommen Baratheon, the children of Robert Baratheon and Cersei, are not Robert Baratheon's biological children. Robert Baratheon's true children are those bastards; even if the Old Gods had not guided Eddard to save these children, for the sake of Robert Baratheon's trust and friendship alone, Eddard would certainly save his children.

However, as for the other visions, Eddard does not quite understand; the wolf meat feast and the wolf-skin tent appeared in the visions—does this mean House Stark will fall to the bottom in the future? Eddard still wants to find the Wood Dancer's cave to ask clearly, but finds the paths in the Weirwood Forest on the Isle of Faces have changed; this truly is a land of Magic.

The Giant Eagle circles in the distance, still not daring to approach the Isle of Faces, so Eddard has to swim away from the Isle of Faces; after he swims out several hundred meters, the Giant Eagle begins to descend, diving, grabbing Eddard with its talons, and tossing him into mid-air; the Giant Eagle catches Eddard and flies toward Harrenhal with him.

Seeing Eddard return safely riding the Giant Eagle, Lady Shella Whent and Catelyn both heave a sigh of relief.

Catelyn says excitedly, "I thought something had happened to you."

Lady Shella Whent says, "Duke Eddard, what exactly is on the Isle of Faces?"

Eddard says, "I didn't dare go on the island at all; the Isle of Faces is very sinister, don't ever go near it." Eddard does not want the nearby fishermen to disturb the peace of the Wood Dancer and the Green Men guards.

The next day, Eddard and Catelyn leave Harrenhal with their retinue. According to the agreement between Eddard and Lady Shella Whent, Eddard leaves behind three hundred Winter Wolves to help Lady Shella Whent protect her lands and castle. Eddard appoints Morna White Mask as the commander of the Harrenhal Winter Wolves.

Lady Shella Whent sends Ser Wyllis Wode of Harrenhal to follow Eddard to King's Landing to represent Harrenhal in the Wolf King Festival. Ser Wyllis Wode is a Knighted Landed Knight near Harrenhal, with several manors in his territory.

Eddard's party heads south along the straight Kingsroad.

In King's Landing, in the Red Keep, in the long corridor of the Maidenvault, Cersei wears a crystal-colored silk robe adorned with tourmaline, emerald, and red garnet, her golden hair draped over her shoulders, her face full of rage.

"Winterfell has a Dragon! No Targaryen Dynasty king would ever allow a Vassal to have a Dragon; that big fool Robert actually lets House Stark raise a Dragon!"

Jaime tidies his white Kingsguard cloak with boredom, "It's just one Dragon; I heard it's only the size of a hound. The North is freezing cold, the Dragon might not grow up, and in all likelihood, it will die young. Sister, don't you worry about it."

Cersei says indignantly, "Do you have no brain either? Once the young Dragon grows into a Magic Dragon, even an army might not be able to contend with them. Eddard Stark hatching a Magic Dragon is clearly a premeditated rebellion! Yes, while Robert Baratheon is alive, Eddard will be loyal, but if Robert Baratheon is gone in the future and Joffrey Baratheon sits on the Iron Throne, Eddard will surely bring his Magic Dragon south and, together with Stannis Baratheon, Renly Baratheon, and their ilk, conspire to depose Joffrey Baratheon."

Jaime's emerald eyes flash with mischief, "Anyway, House Stark is coming to King's Landing soon; Robert Baratheon wants to keep him to serve on the Small Council, which is even better—he will be at our mercy. House Stark left the young Dragon at Winterfell; we can send an assassin to stab the Dragon to death and remove the threat once and for all."

Cersei shakes her head, "I heard Grand Maester Pycelle say that Magic Dragons are very difficult to hatch; even the Targaryen Dynasty couldn't hatch them in the past, yet Eddard actually did it. A young Dragon is, after all, a life, and besides, once it grows up, it's a lethal weapon; it would be a pity to kill it."

"The best way is to steal it, take the young Dragon to Casterly Rock, and raise it in a cave; Winterfell is thousands of miles away from Casterly Rock, so House Stark will surely never find it."

Jaime frowns, "Even the largest cave in Casterly Rock would struggle to raise a Dragon, wouldn't it? I heard Tyrion say that a Dragon's physique is related to the space it grows in. Dragons raised in the wild grow larger. None of the Dragons raised in the Dragonpit of the Targaryen Dynasty reached the size of Balerion later on."

"How about I call Tyrion over to ask him about the Magic Dragon and, while I'm at it, discuss with him how to deal with this new threat, Eddard Stark."

At the mention of Tyrion, Cersei's face is full of disgust.

"Ever since our dwarf little brother arrived in King's Landing, he has been eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling every day—has he done a single proper thing? No need to discuss it with him. When Father arrives in King's Landing, we can discuss it with Father."

Jaime says disdainfully, "Is Father really coming to attend the Wolf King Festival? Why should a lion give face to a Direwolf?"

Cersei strokes Jaime's shoulder, "You're right. Robert Baratheon also told me that Eddard is arriving and wants me to represent House Lannister to welcome him; I handed this task directly to Tyrion. Only by letting the dwarf welcome Eddard can we show the Roaring Lion's contempt for the Direwolf."

The North's party carries the Direwolf banner; Eddard rides the Direwolf Night-walker, while beside him, Bear King Byars rides a large Bear, and Prince of Giant Eagles Michu appears in the air riding a Giant Eagle; Eagle King McCain rides on horseback with a Falcon, an eagle, and an owl perched on his shoulder; people on the Kingsroad retreat one after another, watching with curiosity.

As they approach King's Landing, the Northerners immediately smell a foul odor.

Bear King Byars covers his nose, "What a strange smell. I used to think only Winter Town smelled the worst."

As a Wildlings leader, Bear King Byars has lived Beyond the Wall his whole life and only recently moved to Winterfell with Eddard; Winter Town was the largest town Byars had ever lived in. Upon smelling the city's stench, the Wildlings in the Winter Wolves are all surprised.

Eddard says, "King's Landing is the largest city in Westeros; forty-some thousand people squeezed together is just this kind of smell."

A troop of cavalry blocks the way ahead; the standard-bearer holds high the royal Crown Stag Banner; in addition, Eddard also sees the silver moon and blue falcon banner of House Arryn, the Roaring Lion Flag of House Lannister, the rose banner of House Tyrell of Highgarden, the grape cluster banner of House Redwyne, and so on.

Leading them is King Robert Baratheon himself; Robert Baratheon wears a gray-blue silk robe and a golden Crown, with a Crown of the Stag standing proudly on the Crown; Robert Baratheon rides his horse like a large Bear.

"Haha! Eddard, you truly are worthy of being the Wolf King, actually riding a wolf—is this the famous Direwolf? Ha! It's taller than a warhorse, how terrifying."

Robert Baratheon flips off his horse, the Direwolf Night-walker lies on the ground, Eddard dismounts, and Robert Baratheon gives Eddard a bear hug.

"Eddard, after all these years, you really haven't changed a bit! This time you conquered Beyond the Wall and expanded the territory for the Seven Kingdoms, making me the king with the largest domain in the history of Westeros; I must reward you well!"

Robert Baratheon sees Bear King Byars riding a Bear beside Eddard, Eagle King McCain, and the Prince of Giant Eagles in the air; when the Giant Eagle sweeps across the sky, every Knight and noble is stunned; Kingsguard Barristan Selmy, Meryn Trant, and The Hound Sandor Clegane, the guard of Prince Joffrey Baratheon, and others subconsciously reach for their sword hilts.

Eddard says, "Everyone, no need to be nervous; Prince of Giant Eagles Michu is my subordinate, and he is the leader of the Wildlings Giant Eagle Tribe."

The crowd is finally at ease. Robert Baratheon taps Eddard lightly on the chest.

"Ha! Eddard, you conquered Beyond the Wall and actually brought back so many magical animals and experts; you could open a circus. In King's Landing, the price to hire a dancing Bear is shockingly expensive; you have Giant Eagles and bears all complete."

Bear King Byars says, "Your Majesty, if you want to see a bear dance, my Bear is at your service at any time."

Robert Baratheon scans the North's party, "I heard there were giants; didn't they come?"

Eddard shakes his head, "The North is building houses, and the giants are all working on the construction sites!" Giants are Eddard's secret weapon, and Eddard does not want to share them with others.

Subsequently, Eddard orders his retinue to bring out three "Dragon Eggs" and presents them to Robert Baratheon; Robert Baratheon accepts them with satisfaction, "Can Dragon Eggs hatch a Magic Dragon?"

In fact, these three Dragon Eggs are exquisitely crafted stone artworks, not Dragon Egg Fossils.

Eddard says, "It's very difficult; I prayed to the Weirwood Heart Tree in the Godswood for many days before I received a response from the Old Gods and hatched a young Dragon from the stone."

Robert Baratheon, brother, I am not lying to you; stones can theoretically hatch a Magic Dragon, even the authority in the fields of mysticism and Magic, Archmaester Marwyn, says so.

If King's Landing wants to hatch a Magic Dragon, Eddard welcomes them to try; first, they must pray to the Weirwood Heart Tree, and it would be best to convert to the Old Gods faith. Except for the Isle of Faces, it is hard to find a Weirwood south of the Neck, and these Southern nobles are even more disdainful of praying to a tree; no one can expose Eddard's lie, at least that is what Eddard hopes.

Eddard's foster father, Hand of the King Jon Arryn, wears a blue velvet ceremonial robe, his sky-blue cloak fastened with a sapphire brooch; Jon Arryn is already over eighty years old, yet he is still spirited, his shoulders sturdy and powerful.

Jon Arryn pats Eddard on the head, "Eddard, well done! The Small Council welcomes you!"

Stannis Baratheon wears a simple, unadorned wool robe, looking much shabbier compared to Renly Baratheon beside him, who wears deep green, flamboyant Scale Armor. Renly Baratheon's armor is intricately carved and studded with cat's eye, lapis lazuli, gold, sapphire, emerald, and other jewels. Compared to Renly Baratheon, Stannis Baratheon's attire is practically like a beggar's. Stannis Baratheon greets Eddard and Catelyn with cold etiquette.

Renly Baratheon is much more enthusiastic; not only does he chat warmly with Eddard and Catelyn, but he also praises Sansa and Arya for being beautiful and dignified.

Subsequently, Robert Baratheon introduces the Vassals and nobles of the King's Landing court to Eddard.

Ser Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers, is slender and beautiful, his armor engraved with red roses and white roses, his brown curly hair draped lazily over his shoulders; the moment she sees Ser Loras Tyrell, Sansa holds her breath.

The old and seasoned Ser Barristan Selmy has silver-white hair; although he is advanced in age, he is still strong, wearing a pristine white Scale Armor; he is the Captain of the Kingsguard and one of the most legendary Knights in the Seven Kingdoms.

Prince Joffrey Baratheon has golden hair, is tall, has fair skin, and a pair of green eyes; he is handsome and wears a red-brown silk top embroidered with the Crown of the Stag and the Roaring Lion of his mother's House. However, Eddard does not like the way this child pouts and looks with disdain at the Winter Wolves warriors beside him.

Tyrion the Imp wore a formal suit of red and gold; when Eddard shook hands with the Imp, he had to lower his head.

Tyrion laughed and said, "Lord Eddard, thank you for not bringing giants to King's Landing. Otherwise, a giant might accidentally step on a little person like me and turn me into a pile of meat paste! I heard Winterfell has dragons, terrorbirds as big as elephants, mammoths, and all sorts of strange and wonderful things. If I have the chance, I must visit Winterfell as a guest."

Eddard said, "Winterfell welcomes you." However, the Imp was ultimately a dangerous opponent; although he was a dwarf, he was incredibly clever. If he really went to Winterfell, Eddard would be strictly on guard.

Afterwards, Robert Baratheon also introduced Eddard to the twins, Ser Hobber and Ser Horas, of the house of Paxter Redwyne, Lord of the Arbor. The Redwyne House of the Arbor, like their liege lords of The Reach, House Tyrell, had fought for House Targaryen during the War of the Usurper and had besieged Storm's End for a full year.

As nobles who had picked the wrong side in the War of the Usurper, House Tyrell had sent the Knight of Flowers, Loras Tyrell, and Lord Redwyne had sent his twin sons. These young nobles from The Reach remained at Robert's court, clearly intending to repair their relationship with the royal House Baratheon.

In addition, Eddard also met Ser Baron Swann of Stonehelm in the Marches; the King's Justice, the pockmarked and mute Ser Ilyn Payne; "The Hound" Sandor Clegane, whose face was scarred and terrifying; and Prince Jalabhar Xho, who had been exiled from the Summer Islands to King's Landing. Jalabhar Xho's skin was as dark as coal, and he wore a feather cloak in the style of the Summer Islands, with a Goldenheart Longbow slung over his shoulder.

Subsequently, Eddard rode his Direwolf, and together with King Robert on horseback, they entered King's Landing side-by-side through the Gate of the Gods, followed by the Kingsguard, the City Watch, and the Winter Wolves. The people of King's Landing crowded both sides of the road, cheering for King Robert and Eddard.

Amidst the cheers, Robert excitedly said, "Eddard, I have prepared a Direwolf made of pure gold for you. Cersei said it was a waste of Lannister gold and was very unhappy, but I am very happy! However, I cannot give it to you just yet; it must wait until the Wolf King celebration, where I can present it to you in front of the nobles from all over the Seven Kingdoms."

"There will also be a Tourney, court banquets, and theatrical performances; King's Landing will be very lively. These are all prepared for you."

The King and Eddard's party arrived at the Red Keep on Aegon's High Hill. Robert had prepared a residence next to the Hand of the King's tower for Eddard, and Eddard was very satisfied with Robert's arrangements.

Robert wanted Eddard to meet the high officials of the Small Council immediately. "Eddard, come with me to the Small Council. Sigh! My Small Council is filled with either fools or sycophants."

Thus, Eddard followed Robert to the council chamber, which was covered in carpets from Myr, decorated with wood carvings from Qohor, tapestries from Norvos, and a wooden screen from the Summer Islands engraved with lifelike monsters.

Since Eddard had already met Kingsguard Captain Barristan Selmy, Master of Ships Stannis, Master of Laws Renly Baratheon, and Hand of the King Jon Arryn outside King's Landing, the only ones left in the council chamber for Eddard to greet were Master of Whisperers Varys, Master of Coin Littlefinger, and Grand Maester Pycelle.

Varys wore silver-white silk and exuded the scent of perfume. "Lord Eddard, the little birds from all corners of the world are singing songs of praise for the Wolf King, praising the Wolf King's great conquest Beyond the Wall!"

Eddard said, "Lord Varys, you truly have a honeyed tongue."

Littlefinger quipped, "The only things that come out of a eunuch's tongue are lies, Lord Eddard. You must be careful!"

You are a liar yourself. Eddard did not know which was more dangerous, Varys or Littlefinger. Littlefinger asked about Catelyn, and Eddard gave a few perfunctory replies.

Grand Maester Pycelle stroked his snow-white beard. "Lord Eddard, your great achievements in conquering Beyond the Wall go without saying, but how did you hatch the dragons?"

Eddard said cautiously, "They were hatched from stones. To hatch a dragon, the first step is to convert to the faith of the Old Gods, and then pray to the Weirwood Heart Tree; sincerity brings results."

Grand Maester Pycelle widened his eyes. "Lord Eddard, that seems quite impossible! House Targaryen worshipped the Seven, not the Old Gods."

Eddard said, "That is why the Targaryen dragons later went extinct. Only by worshipping the Old Gods can one hatch dragons; this is my experience. If you do not believe me, you can write to Archmaester Marwyn. When the dragons were hatched, Archmaester Marwyn of the Citadel was right there in Winterfell."

Archmaester Marwyn was an authority in the fields of mysticism and Magic. If Pycelle were to question Marwyn, he would likely become the laughingstock of the Citadel. After all, things like Magic and mysticism were very obscure, and it was impossible to provide definitive conclusions.

Robert said, "Stop asking about dragons and talk about serious matters. I have decided to confer the title of Wolf King upon Eddard and appoint Eddard as Minister of Internal Affairs, with power second only to the Hand of the King."

Grand Maester Pycelle said excitedly, "Your Grace, was it not agreed that Lord Eddard would be an advisor? There has never been a position of Minister of Internal Affairs in the Small Council of Westeros!"

Robert said proudly, "From today on, there is. This is a position I have specially created for Eddard. From now on, you all—Intelligence, Finance, Law, and Ships—must report to Eddard. Do you understand?"

Littlefinger wore a mischievous smile, Varys rubbed his soft hands, Stannis's jaw tightened as he glared at Eddard and began grinding his teeth, Ser Barristan looked at Eddard calmly, and Grand Maester Pycelle looked like a wilted eggplant.

Renly Baratheon laughed and said, "Your Grace, this is a good idea. The Hand of the King is the King's hand; from now on, Eddard will be the King's left hand."

Thanks to Dote MR Little Rocket Forever Happy, Physical Persuasion, 20221204002731333, 10814213231400, and 20180928122622970 for the monthly tickets. Thank you for your support!

(End of chapter)