Chapter 186: Three Kings Stand, Between Lion and Deer, Developing Allies

Under the moonlight, Eddard rode his direwolf through the night, followed by Catelyn, Sansa, Arya, and the warriors of the Winter Wolves, entering the largest castle in all of Westeros amidst the cheers of the Harrenhal garrison.

The thick, mountain-like walls of Harrenhal and the weirwood forest on the Isle of Faces in the Gods Eye lake to the south gave Eddard a sense of security.

Morona White Mask came before Eddard, "Father of Life, you have finally returned."

Eddard said, "Morona, take good care of the wounded of the Winter Wolves and arrange for the kitchens to cook for the soldiers. These Winter Wolves of mine have followed me through bloody battles; they must receive the best care."

Lady Shella Whent hurried out to welcome Eddard, "Wolf Prince, what is the meaning of this? Why would the Lannister army attack my Harrenhal? I heard that King Robert is dead?"

Eddard nodded, "Cersei killed Robert, just to put the bastard she had with Jaime on the Iron Throne. Jon Arryn is also dead, murdered by the Master of Coin, Littlefinger."

Lady Shella Whent turned pale with fright, "It seems that war is coming again."

During the War of the Usurper, Lady Shella Whent's four sons, many nephews, and cousins had all died in battle, leaving House Whent with a withered bloodline; this old woman had a deep understanding of the cruelty of war.

What was worse, House Whent, which had been fiercely loyal to House Targaryen, had ended up on the wrong side when House Targaryen lost the war, and as a result, they had been stripped of some of their fiefs.

Eddard placed his hand on Lady Shella Whent's shoulder and said softly, "You need not worry. You are Catelyn's aunt, which makes you my aunt as well. I have already sent word to Winterfell for my son Robb to summon the Northern Army to march south; we will win this war."

Lady Shella Whent felt much more at ease and said, "Come to think of it, Wolf Prince, you, Duke Hoster Tully, and Lady Lysa Arryn are all my kin. If the North, the Vale, and the Riverlands stand united, the Lannisters cannot do anything to us."

Eddard asked, "Have the postern gates of Harrenhal all been sealed?"

Lady Shella Whent nodded, "I have used the gold dragons you gave me to hire stonemasons to block most of the postern gates with stone walls. This way, the castle is much safer. Now, besides the main gate and the side gate, only one postern gate remains in each of the four cardinal directions around Harrenhal."

As the largest castle in Westeros, Harrenhal itself is impregnable; no ladders, siege towers, catapults, or grappling hooks can do anything against the walls of Harrenhal. However, this castle is three times the size of Winterfell, and for the sake of convenience, there were many postern gates, which required wasting too many guards.

During wartime, postern gates are fatal, as enemies can use them to storm into Harrenhal. Therefore, before Eddard left Harrenhal, he suggested that Lady Shella Whent seal the postern gates. Now, most of them have been closed and have become part of the wall, significantly strengthening the defenses of Harrenhal.

The five towers of Harrenhal—Kingspyre Tower, Ghost Tower, Wailing Tower, Widow's Tower, and Terror Tower—can only be described as absurdly large; in this castle, even the smallest guest room is more than spacious enough for a giant to live in.

The horses of the Winter Wolves were sent to the stables, and those who had come to Harrenhal for the first time, such as Baron Swann, the Lightning Lord, and the Red Priest Thoros, all looked in astonishment at the towers that resembled heavenly palaces and the massive stables capable of holding a thousand horses.

Eddard ordered that the twenty-some noble captives, including Ser Lyle Crakehall, the Strongboar, be sent to the dungeons of Harrenhal.

The Strongboar had led six hundred elite Westerlands cavalry to attack Harrenhal, but he did not expect to be ambushed by Eddard. Over four hundred of the Strongboar's legion died, more than a hundred were captured; the commoner captives were put in shackles to work, and the noble captives were thrown into the dungeons. Noble captives could be exchanged for ransoms or used to trade for hostages.

The three catapults from the Westerlands were all captured by the Winter Wolves and pushed into the courtyard of Harrenhal. These catapults were useless against the majestic Harrenhal, but against ordinary castles, the stones thrown by these catapults could smash through walls after a few rounds of attacks.

In this battle, the Westerlands legion was almost completely annihilated. Eddard seized over five hundred sets of armor, over three hundred warhorses, and over a hundred dead horses. The direwolves, bears, and giant eagles held a feast on the battlefield with the dead horses, and the leftover horse meat was cut off by the soldiers of the Winter Wolves and brought back to Harrenhal.

Eddard settled the host of the Winter Wolves in the ground floor hall of the Wailing Tower, and he stayed on the second floor with Sansa, Arya, and Catelyn. Eddard stroked Sansa's hair, "My good daughter, do you still think Harrenhal is a place of ill omen?"

Sansa said, "Father, as long as I can be with my family, anywhere is good."

Eddard said, "That is right, the direwolf must stay with its pack."

Having survived the ordeal, Sansa had become much more sensible.

Arya began to change the bandages on Sansa's wounds, the wounds left behind when Joffrey Baratheon whipped Sansa.

The direwolf led the way through the night as Eddard walked down from the second floor of the Wailing Tower to the ground floor hall to comfort the wounded soldiers.

Afterward, Eddard went to the Widow's Tower to visit Gendry, Robert's bastard daughter Bella, who was only a few months old, and Bella's mother, Lolly.

Gendry had now become an apprentice blacksmith at Harrenhal, serving as an apprentice to the weaponsmith, Luken.

The black-haired Bella and Gendry would be the key to the evidence accusing Joffrey Baratheon, Myrcella Baratheon, and Tommen Baratheon in the future.

Walking out of the Widow's Tower, Eddard saw the Giant Eagle Prince Michu feeding meat to the giant eagles. Michu's arm was bandaged; he had been injured while riding a giant eagle to rescue Sansa at the Red Keep.

"Michu, has your wound healed?"

Michu said indifferently, "Father of Life, such a minor injury is not worth your concern."

"The giant eagles are heroes of the Starks. What about their wounds?" Eddard stroked the wounds on the giant eagles' wings; the giant eagles had been hit by crossbowmen while escaping the Red Keep.

Michu said, "Father of Life, the giant eagles are recovering very quickly. Look, they can eat a large basin of meat in one sitting."

At this moment, the Captain of the Guard, Jory Cassel, came before Eddard, followed by a person dressed in black, with their face hidden in a hood.

Eddard scrutinized the man in black, "Who is this?"

Jory Cassel said, "Wolf Prince, Ser Barristan Selmy has come here alone from King's Landing to join you."

Ser Barristan pulled back his hood, revealing hair as white as snow and a resolute face. In King's Landing, Ser Barristan had always worn the white cloak and white armor of the Kingsguard.

Eddard was very happy, but not surprised; Barristan must have realized that Robert was murdered by Cersei, and thus had abandoned the Lannisters.

Eddard smiled broadly, "Ser Barristan, after Robert's death, Joffrey has already ascended the throne. Are you not in King's Landing guarding your new king?"

Ser Barristan shook his head, "Wolf Prince, that little brat of a king is not my king at all. It is rumored everywhere in King's Landing that Joffrey, Tommen, and Myrcella are bastards born of the illicit affair between Cersei and the Kingslayer. I did not believe it at first, until Cersei murdered King Robert!"

Eddard said, "The North remembers, and I will surely avenge Robert."

Ser Barristan said, "My brothers of the Kingsguard, except for Ser Arys Oakheart, are all Lannister lackeys. They stood by and watched as the Lannisters murdered the king they swore to protect."

Eddard sighed, "When I led an expedition Beyond the Wall, I fought side by side with the Black Brothers on the Wall. Many say that the current Night's Watch is a gathering place for exiles and scum, but I have met many noble Black Brothers, such as Yoren, Qhorin Halfhand, and the squire Darry."

"Many of these brothers of the Night's Watch are not knights at all, yet they possess great chivalry. Meanwhile, the Kingsguard, who are touted as the finest knights of the Seven Kingdoms, have mostly become hypocritical knights in name only. This world is truly in chaos."

Ser Barristan said, "I could not avenge King Robert in King's Landing, and I could not serve the Lannister bastards, so I had to come to join the Wolf Prince and request your shelter."

Eddard placed his hand on Ser Barristan's shoulder, "Ser Barristan, you shall be the commander of the Winter Wolves. From now on, there will always be a place for you in the halls of Stark. I will share my hearth and table with you, and I will never let your service be tarnished by dishonor."

Ser Barristan drew his longsword and knelt before Eddard.

"Wolf Prince, Barristan Selmy will follow the Wolf Prince forever, until the end of time and the universe!"

Eddard helped Barristan Selmy up; the Starks and the Winter Wolves had gained another fierce general.

"The Bold" Ser Barristan Selmy was a knight who ranked among the best even in the history of the Seven Kingdoms. In the Westeros of today, Barristan Selmy was the most renowned knight, having won the championship of tourneys many times.

During the War of the Ninepenny Kings, the then-young Ser Barristan had made a name for himself in a single battle, slaying "the Monstrous" Maelys on the Stepstones, which severed the last bloodline of the Blackfyres and caused the alliance of the Ninepenny Kings to crumble. Ser Barristan became the most famous hero to emerge from the Stepstones, and his fame began to spread throughout Westeros.

During the Defiance of Duskendale, Ser Barristan had gone in alone and rescued the Mad King Aerys, who was being held under house arrest by the rebels in the city. At the Battle of the Trident, Ser Barristan fought for the Targaryens, slaying more than a dozen famous rebel knights. Unfortunately, Prince Rhaegar died at the hands of Robert in that battle, and Ser Barristan's brilliant performance on the battlefield could not turn the tide.

During the suppression of the Greyjoy Rebellion, Ser Barristan led troops to pacify Old Wyk.

In the hearts of many common folk, Ser Barristan was a living legend. Such a man joining Eddard's banner to serve the Starks would undoubtedly be of great help to Eddard's cause.

As a legendary Kingsguard, Ser Barristan could not only lead troops in battle but also protect Eddard and his family; he was another capable personal guard for Eddard, following Shield Dawson and Syrio Forel.

Eddard took Barristan back to the Wailing Tower hall, and the members of the Winter Wolves, including the Red Priest Thoros, the Lightning Lord, and Baron Swann, were all very happy to see Barristan join Eddard.

Eddard returned to the hall on the second floor of the Wailing Tower; Arya and Sansa had already returned to their guest rooms to sleep, and Catelyn was waiting for him by the incense candle. Eddard said, "Catelyn, Ser Barristan has abandoned House Lannister and turned to serve the Starks; he has joined the Winter Wolves."

Catelyn smiled, "The knight Bran admires most is Ser Barristan. It is for the best that he can join us. When shall we march toward Riverrun?"

On the road from King's Landing to Harrenhal, the Winter Wolves learned that Riverrun was under attack by the Westerlands Army, and that the House Vance and House Piper, who bordered the Westerlands in the Riverlands, were also being attacked by the Lannisters. Catelyn was worried about her father, Lord Hoster, and her brother, Edmure, at Riverrun.

Eddard said, "You need not worry about Riverrun. As long as Riverrun holds firm and does not sally forth, with the gates closed and the protection of the Tumblestone River, the Red Fork, and the moat, no matter how large the Westerlands Army is, how could they breach this island fortress in the river? The Northern Army is marching south; we must wait for the Northern Army to arrive before we can fight a decisive battle against the Lannisters."

Catelyn said, "We cannot wait for the Northern Army. We nobles of the Riverlands are not as united as the North. The House Tully has ruled the Riverlands for less than three hundred years, and their prestige is far inferior to the House Stark, which has ruled the North for thousands of years. However, now that the enemy is invading the Riverlands, the Riverlands nobles will unite."

"We can summon the armies of the nobles near Harrenhal—Maidenpool, Darry Castle, Harrenhal Town, the small towns around the Gods Eye, Harroway's Town, and Saltpans—we can easily conscript five thousand men, and then head west. House Bracken of Stone Hedge and House Blackwood of Raventree Hall will both join us. By the time we reach the walls of Riverrun, our force might approach ten thousand."

Eddard stroked Catelyn's hair. "I will seek cooperation with the Riverlands nobles near Harrenhal, but not to rescue Riverrun; rather, to defend Harrenhal. The 'Sow' Lyle Crakehall, whom I captured, has already said that the two mercenary companies hired by the Lannisters—Vargo Hoat's Mummers and Greenbeard's Brave Companions—will arrive soon. Their target is Harrenhal."

"We are undermanned at Harrenhal. From the slaughter on the way from King's Landing to Harrenhal, we lost one-fifth of our men, and many cavalrymen were injured. Now, including the garrison of Harrenhal, we have only a little over a thousand men."

Catelyn said gloomily, "This castle is impregnable; what is the point of guarding this cursed castle?"

Eddard opened a map of the Riverlands and said, "Look, by occupying Harrenhal, the Winter Wolves can control Harroway's Town to the north, which is one of the most populous towns in the Riverlands, as well as the Ruby Ford crossing. If necessary, we can easily send troops to occupy Saltpans, an important port for the Trident's outlet to the sea, and the seaside port of Maidenpool."

"Harroway's Town can be called the crossroads of the Seven Kingdoms. The great roads from the North, The Vale, the Riverlands, the Westerlands, and the Crownlands all converge east of the town. It is also very close to the Ruby Ford, where the three main tributaries of the Trident meet."

"This region has been a place of strategic importance since ancient times. The ancient Kings of the Vale, the Kings of the Rivers and the Hills, the Kings of the Iron Islands, and the Kings of the Storm have all led armies to repeatedly fight over this region."

During the War of the Usurper, the turning point of the entire war occurred at the Ruby Ford. It was there that Robert Baratheon used his warhammer to kill his love rival, Rhaegar Targaryen. Robert Baratheon's warhammer shattered the three-headed dragon crest engraved in rubies on Rhaegar Targaryen's breastplate. Some rubies scattered on the ground, triggering a scramble among the soldiers of both sides, and the Ruby Ford was named for this.

On the Green Fork tributary of the Trident, there are no crossings for hundreds of miles upstream from the Ruby Ford crossing until one reaches The Twins. Considering that the House Frey of The Twins is an ally whose loyalty is questionable and who flips sides repeatedly, it is essential for the House Stark to occupy Harrenhal and control the Ruby Ford.

Eddard said, "Tywin knows the importance of Harrenhal very well. Believe me, of all the many castles in the Riverlands, Harrenhal is surely the one Tywin wants to occupy the most."

Catelyn looked at the map and raised an eyebrow. "Since Harrenhal is so critical, why don't we go to support the Riverlands lords in the west? If Tywin's Westerlands Army wipes out the Riverlands lords one by one and presses in, Harrenhal won't be able to hold out either!"

Eddard smiled. "The Lannisters are kingslayers and usurpers. I estimate that Renly Baratheon and Stannis will be crowned kings before long. By then, the Lannisters will have many enemies. I will find a way to make the Lannisters leave the Riverlands."

In King's Landing, at the Red Keep, King Joffrey held his first Small Council meeting.

Tyrion put on a black and red brocade coat and wore a chain of gold around his neck, made of small golden hands, symbolizing his status as the Hand of the King.

Because Eddard, Stannis, and Renly Baratheon had fled King's Landing one after another, and Jon Arryn was dead, there were many vacancies in the Small Council, and the Regent Queen Cersei hurriedly filled the positions.

Tyrion sized up these new faces.

Aurane Waters, the bastard of Driftmark, joined the Small Council, replacing Stannis as Master of Ships. Aurane Waters had silver hair and looked a bit like Rhaegar Targaryen, which could be considered his only merit.

The mercenary Osmund Kettleblack, who could not read a single word, replaced Renly Baratheon as Master of Laws. Osmund's only achievement was arresting many so-called thugs in Flea Bottom on the day Eddard escaped King's Landing, although Tyrion suspected that many of them were innocent. Osmund's grinning face was actually somewhat similar to Renly Baratheon's.

Because Jaime had led the army to the Riverlands, the Kingsguard was represented at the Small Council by the captain, Rustu the Flame. It was said that in the days when Jaime was away, Rustu took very intimate care of the Regent Queen, guarding her day and night. This fierce, strong man, as sturdy as an ox, was clearly better able to satisfy Cersei than Lancel Lannister.

Tyrion remembered that King Robert Baratheon used to complain often that his Small Council was filled with nothing but sycophants or fools. If Robert Baratheon could see Cersei's Small Council—filled with illiterates, mercenaries, and slaves—he would probably laugh his head off in heaven! What kind of monsters and demons were these?

The rest were old faces: Grand Maester Pycelle, the Master of Whisperers Varys, and the Master of Coin Littlefinger. Among them, Pycelle was Cersei's lackey, while Varys and Littlefinger were conspirators.

Joffrey sat on the King's throne. The stitches on his scalp were terrifying, oozing pus; even though Joffrey had sprayed perfume, it could not mask the intermittent stench.

Tyrion heard that Joffrey often had headaches and was plagued by nightmares, and had to take Grand Maester Pycelle's milk of the poppy to fall asleep.

Cersei said, "Let us begin today's agenda."

Varys pulled a stack of intelligence reports from the sleeves of his magnificent silk coat.

"My lords, terrible news has come from Harrenhal. Sir Lyle Crakehall, the 'Sow', led troops to attack Harrenhal, but was ambushed by Eddard with the Winter Wolves. The Westerlands Army was almost completely wiped out, and the 'Sow' and more than a dozen nobles were captured and imprisoned in the dungeons of Harrenhal."

Cersei said gloomily, "The 'Sow' is truly a piece of trash. I thought he could capture Harrenhal before Eddard."

Joffrey suddenly became agitated, his pale face beginning to twist. "I want to lead the army out myself! I want to kill Eddard, Sansa, and kill that giant eagle and the direwolf!"

Aurane Waters and Osmund Kettleblack cheered repeatedly like two lapdogs.

Tyrion saw Joffrey's head trembling violently, his scalp twisting along with it, and more thick pus oozing from the stitched area. For a moment, Tyrion even thought the stitches on Joffrey's scalp were about to burst.

Cersei took Joffrey's hand. "Your Grace, do not be agitated. Eddard will be brought to justice sooner or later. I will announce to the Seven Kingdoms that Eddard is a traitor, that House Stark is a traitor, and then we will attack the North."

Tyrion said, "Regent Queen, the correct course of action would be to write a letter to Harrenhal, announce a pardon for his crimes, and summon him to the Red Keep to swear fealty."

Cersei gave a cold hum. "How could he possibly come?"

Tyrion said, "This is called 'courtesy before force'. If he refuses to come, it will not be too late to declare him a traitor then. It is a good thing to reconcile with the Starks; otherwise, once the Northern Army arrives in the Riverlands, the Lannisters will not be able to win in the short term. Do not forget, Eddard led the Northern Army to victory on Skagos and Beyond the Wall; the North has plenty of brave and battle-hardened warriors."

Cersei said angrily, "Eddard wounded King Joffrey like this; I cannot forgive him."

Tyrion made a face. "Regent Queen, if you do not reconcile with the Starks, are you planning to take on Stannis, Renly Baratheon, and Eddard all at once? Do not forget, the Dornish have always dreamed of revenge."

Cersei pondered for a long time. "I would rather reconcile with the Dornish, Renly Baratheon, and Stannis than reconcile with Eddard."

Varys wore a fawning smile. "Regent Queen, I fear you cannot reconcile with Renly Baratheon and Stannis. According to news brought by the little birds, Renly Baratheon has already been crowned king at Highgarden, and Renly Baratheon has married Margaery Tyrell; Highgarden has allied with Storm's End. Almost at the same time, Stannis was crowned king on Dragonstone."

Joffrey said angrily, "Uncle Stannis and Uncle Renly Baratheon are traitors just like Eddard! I will kill them all!"

Grand Maester Pycelle widened his eyes. "So many usurpers have popped up since King Robert Baratheon died?"

Varys said, "According to intelligence, the army of The Reach has begun to assemble at Old Oak, massing on the border of the Westerlands, and may attack the Westerlands at any time. The army of the Stormlands has begun to assemble at Storm's End and may march on King's Landing at any time."

"The Lysene pirate Salladhor Saan, hired by Stannis, has cooperated with the Royal Fleet to repel the pirates from the Stepstones hired by the Lannisters."

Littlefinger said gloomily, "Now, Stannis has no worries behind him and may arrive at King's Landing with the Royal Fleet and the lords of the Narrow Sea at any time."

Tyrion glared at Littlefinger, a flash of murderous intent in his eyes, and then turned to Joffrey.

"Your Grace, you have just ascended the throne, and your two uncles have usurped the title of king. The Seven Kingdoms are at risk of falling apart. Therefore, we must show the magnanimity of a king. As long as these people are willing to publicly swear fealty, we can pardon their treason."

Joffrey's scalp trembled. "My father would wield his warhammer and hammer every enemy to death. Uncle Imp, are you only capable of pardoning and forgiving?"

Cersei sighed. "Joffrey, your uncle is right. Sometimes, we have no choice but to compromise."

Joffrey left while cursing and swearing. Cersei announced the end of the meeting, and the high officials of the Small Council left one after another.

Tyrion said, "Cersei, Aurane Waters as Master of Ships? What were you thinking?"

Cersei said seriously, "Aurane Waters has been a captain, and he is also the bastard brother of Lord Monford Velaryon of Driftmark. House Velaryon is Stannis's most powerful vassal; I can win over House Velaryon through Aurane Waters."

Tyrion said dismissively, "In the days of the Sea Snake and Oakfist, the power and fleet of House Velaryon could rank in the top three of the Seven Kingdoms, but now the Velaryons have long since declined. Furthermore, Aurane is a bastard, and he is not a Velaryon."

"Why did you want Osmund Kettleblack to be Master of Laws?"

Cersei said, "Osmund and his two brothers are very popular among the mercenaries. I originally wanted to promote Ilyn Payne to Master of Laws, but unfortunately, he has no tongue, so I had to use Osmund. He is very obedient and follows my every word."

Tyrion said, "He follows the words of gold. Osmund is nothing but a greedy mercenary who could betray us at any time. When you only have people of this caliber around you, you can only pardon your enemies; you cannot play 'The Rains of Castamere'."

Cersei's emerald eyes burned with rage. "Imp, stop pointing fingers at the people I use. You are also my servant; you are a cheap substitute for Father. Remember that."

At Harrenhal, Eddard sent out ravens in the name of Catelyn's father, Lord Hoster, writing to the Riverlands lords around Harrenhal, ordering them to come to Harrenhal to discuss how to deal with the Lannisters and the mercenary companies about to arrive in the Riverlands.

Sir Raymund Darry of Darry Castle, Lord Ronald Root of Harroway's Town, and Lord William Mooton of Maidenpool were all among those invited.

On Eddard's first day in King's Landing, he used brewing as a pretext to purchase a large quantity of grain from King's Landing; the grain transported by sea was shipped to the North, while the grain transported by land was all shipped to Harrenhal, filling the gargantuan granaries of Harrenhal with corn, barley, wheat, and oats.

With provisions sufficient, the problem Eddard needed to solve was that of manpower. The number of soldiers in Eddard's hands was too small, and since the Northern Army had not yet arrived, Eddard needed to recruit new soldiers.

The news that Harrenhal had been attacked by the Lannisters left the residents of Harrenhal Town, near Harrenhal, in a state of panic; some residents fled to Harrenhal seeking refuge, and Eddard allowed the residents to take shelter, but every refugee family had to provide one adult male to join the Winter Wolves.

With the help of Lady Shella Whent and Sir Wyllis Wode, Eddard successfully recruited two thousand young new soldiers in the territory of Harrenhal and handed them over to Sir Barristan to train in the practice yard of Harrenhal.

The North, Sea Dragon Point, Blacksmith City.

Helene Pyke stood on the *Queen*, gazing toward the south.

Helene Pyke said to James Codd, who was beside her, "King Robert is already dead, the Lannisters are attacking the Riverlands, and Robb has already led the Northern Army south, yet here we are, doing nothing."

James Codd said, "The Wolf Prince's order is for you to defend Blacksmith City; he has always reminded us that this place might be attacked by the Iron Islands."

Helene Pyke said, "There are plenty of troops here anyway; I will leave two thousand men to hold Blacksmith City, and then I will select thirty longships and one thousand elites to go south with me and attack Lannisport."

James Codd widened his eyes, "But this is defying the Wolf Prince's order! What if the Iron Islands attack Blacksmith City? What if Ironborn Pirates raid us?"

Helene Pyke said, "Two thousand men are holding the castle; you and I are both of Ironborn Pirates origin, what pirates would attack a castle guarded by two thousand men? If Blacksmith City still falls with two thousand defenders, it can only mean that the Iron Fleet has been deployed; the Iron Fleet consists of hundreds of longships once it is deployed, so even if we all stayed here, it would be for nothing."

James Codd frowned and said, "That may be so, but how could you possibly succeed in going south to attack Lannisport? Lannisport has a fleet."

Helene Pyke said, "It has a few dozen ships, so what? Back when King Balon rebelled, Euron and Victarion burned the Lannisport Fleet to the ground, and in the years since, the Lannisport Fleet has never fully recovered."

"Now that Lord Tywin has taken the Westerlands Army to the Riverlands, the Westerlands must be under-defended; we will burn the Lannisport Fleet, plunder some people and wealth, and then withdraw."

James Codd said, "You make it sound easy, but this is so far from Lannisport; by the time we arrive there, we will have long been discovered by the Lannisters."

Helene Pyke opened a nautical chart; Helene Pyke was originally illiterate, but when they were at Winterfell, Jon, Robb, and Arya taught Helene how to read, and now looking at a nautical chart was easy for her.

"Look, there are some deserted islands south of the Iron Islands; we will hide our longships there and disguise ourselves as pirates from the Iron Islands to raid Lannisport. The Lannisters will surely think that King Balon has raided the Westerlands, and in this way, the Sea Monster and the Lion will start fighting each other. Lord Eddard will surely like my strategy!"

A few days after Eddard sent letters to the nobles near Harrenhal, Sir Raymund Darry was the first to arrive at Harrenhal.

Sir Raymund Darry was handsome with golden hair; he brought twenty personal guards, and on the breastplate of every Darry Castle guard was engraved the peasant sigil of House Darry; Raymund Darry's son, Lyman Darry, also came, and his age was about the same as Bran's.

In the hall of the Wailing Tower, Eddard and Catelyn met with Sir Raymund Darry together; Raymund Darry said gloomily, "Wolf Prince, why did you summon me in the name of Lord Hoster? I thought Lord Hoster had truly arrived at Harrenhal, which is why I rushed here in such a hurry."

The implication was, "By what right does a Northern Duke command me, a Riverlands noble?"

Eddard said, "Lord Hoster is my father-in-law, and I have an obligation to protect the safety of the Riverlands. King Robert has been assassinated, and these are extraordinary times; Riverrun of House Tully, Pinkmaiden of House Piper, and Wayfarer's Rest of House Vance are all being attacked. A few days ago, Harrenhal was also attacked by the Lannister army. The mercenaries the Lannisters recruited from across the Narrow Sea might attack this region, which is why I have gathered you all to resist together."

Sir Raymund Darry said grimly, "I am tired of war. Lord Eddard, you became a hero in the War of the Usurper; House Darry supported House Targaryen, and back at the Trident, all three of my brothers were killed in a single afternoon. We were loyal to the Targaryens, but just because the Usurper's rebel army won, House Darry became traitors."

"House Darry was stripped of half its fiefs, lost its title of Count, and was reduced to a Knighted Landed Knight. All of this is thanks to the Usurper Robert, and you and Jon Arryn were Robert's right-hand men. Now, both Robert and Jon Arryn are dead, and war has come again; as Robert's friend, you asking House Darry to fight for you and Robert is going too far."

Eddard said slowly, "Sir Raymund, I am not asking you to fight for me. The Lannisters are attacking the Riverlands to slaughter your people and burn your castles; do you think you can stay out of it? When war strikes, your son and your people may all be slaughtered."

In the distance, Sir Raymund's son was playing with Arya.

Eddard said, "That is how war is; if a noble stands on the wrong side, they will be stripped of their fiefs and have their titles reduced. Renly Baratheon and Stannis will deal with the Lannisters in King's Landing in the south. The Northern Army is marching south, and the ruler of The Vale, Lysa Arryn, is Lord Hoster's daughter; the Canyon Knight will soon arrive in the Riverlands to join the war. The Lannisters cannot possibly defeat the alliance of the North, the Riverlands, and The Vale."

"This time, as long as you follow me, you will surely stand on the side of the victors. After the war ends, I will restore your title, grant House Darry fiefs, and House Darry will regain its former glory. Your son and your descendants will all remember this day; they will say that the revival of House Darry stemmed from Raymund Darry's correct choice."

A flicker of doubt flashed in Sir Raymund's eyes, "Why do you believe you will win the war?"

Eddard smiled, "I have the Winter Wolves, Direwolves, giants, skinchangers, and dragons."

That evening, Eddard met with William Mooton, the lord of Maidenpool, at Harrenhal.

Lord William Mooton of Maidenpool was a man covered in fat with pale skin and a cowardly personality; on his chest was the red salmon sigil of House Mooton. Maidenpool was an important port on Crab Bay and also the place where the famous story of "Foluolian and Jonquil" took place; in the story, Foluolian peeked at Jonquil bathing right there in Maidenpool.

House Mooton's status and fiefs had also plummeted because they supported House Targaryen during the War of the Usurper. Eddard promised that after this war was won, he would grant House Mooton some land; Lord William Mooton left satisfied, expressing his willingness to provide full support.

The next morning, Ronald Root, the lord of the town of House Harren, arrived at Harrenhal.

The town of House Harren was named after the House Harren that ruled Harrenhal during the time of Maegor; that house had already died out as early as the time of Maegor, but the town's name had been used ever since.

Eddard promised to send giants to help House Root build a grand castle after the war and to develop the town into the first city of the Riverlands; Ronald Root left satisfied.

Subsequently, Eddard ordered Fellan, Baron Swann, and Sir Barristan to each take two hundred cavalrymen to lie in ambush at Maidenpool, Darry Castle, and the town of House Harren.

Eddard and Eagle King McCain sent eagles, owls, and falcons to conduct strict reconnaissance around the mouth of the Trident, waiting quietly for the arrival of the mercenary groups.

On a moonlit night, the mercenary fleet finally arrived. Vargo Hoat's Mummers and Greenbeard's Brave Companions landed near Maidenpool.

The one responsible for leading the way was an old pirate over sixty years old named Louis, who had grown up in the villages near Harrenhal and was very familiar with the area.

"No one knows Harrenhal better than I do," Louis said, "We cannot do anything about the towering city walls, but we can surround it and attack through the small gates. The enemy will never expect us to launch a sneak attack."

The leader of the Mummers, Vargo Hoat, was a fierce bald man; he looked at Harrenhal, which stood as towering as mountains under the moonlight, and frowned, "We probably don't have enough men to surround such a large castle."

An owl flew by in the air; this was an owl controlled by Eddard. After the mercenary groups completed their landing, their every move was monitored by Eagle King McCain and Eddard's birds.

The Brave Companions and the Mummers did not yet know that they had stepped into a death trap. Just as they arrived under the city walls, shouts of battle came from the woods on the right; Eddard, riding a Direwolf, led a team of cavalry and charged out from the flank.

Prince of Giant Eagles Michu rode a giant eagle and swooped down from the walls of Harrenhal.

The Brave Companions and the Mummers were both battle-hardened veterans, but they were still caught off guard. Bear King Byars's bears, Nymeria, Lady, and the two black and white bears charged out from the darkness, and the Lightning Lord, Thoros of Myr, charged into the enemy ranks wielding a flaming sword.

Originally, Vargo Hoat and Greenbeard had intended to sneak attack Harrenhal with the Mummers and the mercenary groups, but they did not expect to be counter-attacked.

At this moment, shouts of battle came from behind; Sir Barristan led the Winter Wolves and the cavalry of Maidenpool to charge from the direction of Maidenpool. Fellan led a team of Darry Castle cavalry to charge from the direction of Darry Castle, and Baron Swann led a team of town cavalry to charge from the direction of the town.

Enemies were everywhere; the guide Louis was shot dead by an arrow from Anguy. Most of the mercenaries were foreigners who were unfamiliar with the local terrain, and facing so many fierce beasts and ambushes, the more than one thousand mercenaries were overwhelmed.

After fighting until midnight, more than half of the mercenaries had been killed; Vargo Hoat was captured by Sir Barristan, and Greenbeard was captured alive by Thoros of Myr. The remaining few hundred mercenaries, seeing that there was no hope of breaking out, had no choice but to lay down their swords and surrender.

Vargo Hoat and Greenbeard were escorted before Eddard, and Eddard said, "Will you surrender, or will you die?"

Greenbeard said, "If the Wolf Prince can spare my life and the lives of my brothers, I am willing to surrender."

Vargo Hoat also said, "I only ask to live; I am also willing to serve the Wolf Prince."

Thus, more than five hundred mercenaries became prisoners of the Winter Wolves. Eddard ordered them to be disarmed for the time being and to work at Harrenhal; if they proved their loyalty, they would have a chance to go to the battlefield in the future.

Mercenaries are not worth trusting, but Eddard could send them as the vanguard.

Because these two mercenary groups were each equipped with two horses, Eddard seized more than one thousand sets of Plate Armor and warhorses, as well as a dozen charming kitchen maids. In addition, the Winter Wolves also seized thousands of Gold Dragons.

According to market prices, the price of a full set of Plate Armor and a horse for one cavalryman exceeded ten Gold Dragons.

This is war; as long as you win, you can seize a large amount of spoils and obtain wealth.

Eddard crushed the Lannister mercenary groups, which greatly increased his prestige in the Riverlands.

A few days later, Raymund Darry arrived at Harrenhal with eight hundred infantry and cavalry recruited from his own lands. Ronald Root sent one thousand infantry, and Lord William Mooton of Maidenpool sent six hundred infantry and a small number of cavalry.

Originally, these three noble houses still wanted to send more soldiers to Harrenhal, but were refused by Eddard. Fearing that the Lannister might continue to hire mercenary companies and pirates to attack the Riverlands, Eddard requested that Darry Castle, the town of Lord Harroway, and Maidenpool keep sufficient forces to defend their respective territories.

A few days later, Eddard received letters from the three kings: Joffrey Baratheon, Renly Baratheon, and Stannis Baratheon.

The letter from King's Landing came from the hand of the Imp; King Joffrey demanded that Eddard publicly swear fealty, which would allow him to be pardoned for the crime of treason.

The letter from King Renly sent from Highgarden had a kind tone, hoping that Eddard would publicly swear fealty and become a loyal friend of the Baratheon.

King Stannis from Dragonstone had a stern tone, demanding that Eddard publicly swear fealty, or else he would be considered one with the rebels.

After reading these letters, Catelyn said gloomily, "So many kings, what do you intend to do?"

Eddard smiled and said, "I will bow and admit my fault, but I will not publicly swear fealty."

Catelyn asked curiously, "To which king?"

"To all the kings."

Renly, the Lannister, and Stannis all seemed to think that a crown could win people's love, but in reality, it was not so; whoever had the greatest strength was the most critical factor. Eddard was not in a hurry to claim kingship; rashly claiming kingship would only invite attacks from enemies, and having no strength to wear the crown would only lead to a faster death.

Developing allies, maneuvering between the powers, playing both sides, building high walls, and delaying the claim to kingship—this was Eddard's strategy.

Eddard wrote back to the Imp and Queen Regent Cersei in King's Landing; in the letter, Eddard expressed his deep apologies for the giant eagle accidentally injuring Joffrey, and he demanded that the Lannister immediately withdraw from the Riverlands and stop their acts of aggression.

At the same time, he demanded that the Iron Throne immediately execute the murderer of Jon Arryn and hand over the murderer of King Robert Baratheon; only when justice was served could Eddard lead the North, the Vale of Arryn, and the Riverlands back under the rule of the Iron Throne.

In his reply to Renly, Eddard stated that the North welcomed the Baratheon inheriting the Iron Throne and hoped that Renly would quickly lead the army of the Reach to attack the Westerlands. Once Renly captured Casterly Rock and Lannisport and eliminated the usurper bastard Joffrey Baratheon and Tywin Lannister, Eddard would lead the North, the Riverlands, and the Vale of Arryn to swear fealty to the Baratheon.

In his reply to Stannis, Eddard stated that the North was happy to see Stannis inherit the Iron Throne and had always believed that Stannis was the legitimate heir of Robert Baratheon.

Eddard indicated that while His Majesty Stannis had too small a territory and too few troops, he must not attack the Stormlands and engage in infighting with Renly. His Majesty Stannis could quickly march on King's Landing, or use Crab Isle as a springboard to occupy Claw Isle and seize the Crownlands from Crab Bay. The Northern Army would cooperate with His Majesty Stannis to complete the occupation of the Crownlands; once the Crownlands and King's Landing were occupied, His Majesty Stannis would have taken the first step toward unifying the Seven Kingdoms.

Once His Majesty Stannis eliminated the Lannister and avenged King Robert Baratheon, the North, the Riverlands, and the Vale of Arryn would immediately return to the embrace of His Majesty Stannis.

In fact, the current Lysa Arryn had already slipped out of Eddard's control, and Eddard did not count on the Vale of Arryn easily joining the North's grand alliance, but the outside world generally believed that Lysa Arryn was a daughter of Riverrun, and therefore assumed that the Vale of Arryn would sooner or later send troops to aid the Riverlands; Eddard simply pretended in the letter that he had obtained the support of the Vale of Arryn.

Subsequently, Eddard and his foster daughter, Lareza of Dorne, wrote to Prince Doran Martell of Dorne and the Red Viper Oberyn. Lareza was the bastard daughter of Prince Oberyn and was also deeply loved by Prince Doran and the Princess Arianne Martell of Dorne.

In the letter, Eddard declared that he had always hated the brutal crimes committed by the Lannister against Princess Elia Martell and her children; once hypocritical knights like the Mountain and Amory Lorch fell into the hands of the North, the North would immediately cut off their heads and send them to Sunspear. Eddard reminded Dorne that the true mastermind was Duke Tywin, who had committed such crimes just to curry favor with Robert Baratheon and increase his own political capital among Robert Baratheon's rebel forces.

The moment of vengeance that Dorne craved had arrived; Eddard hoped that Dorne would immediately raise an army to attack the Lannister, and the North was willing to sign a "Pact of Snow and Sand" with Dorne through marriage, advancing from the north and south together to eliminate the hypocritical and cruel Lannister family.

The fifth letter, Eddard wrote to the Great King Balon of the Iron Islands.

Eddard wrote in the letter that in this era of rising kings, the North hoped to form an alliance with the Iron Islands and was happy to support Great King Balon in wearing the Driftwood Crown. As long as Great King Balon led the Iron Fleet to strike at the Westerlands and occupy Lannisport and Casterly Rock, the North was willing to honor Great King Balon as the "King of the Iron Islands and the Westerlands" and return Prince Theon.

The last letter, Eddard wrote to Lysa Arryn of the Eyrie.

In the letter, Eddard hoped that Lysa Arryn would come to Harrenhal to discuss the war in the Riverlands, provide better treatment for Robin Arryn, and hoped that Lysa Arryn could send Canyon Knights from the Vale of Arryn as soon as possible to avenge Jon Arryn and fight against the Lannister, hoping that the Canyon Knights could arrive in the Riverlands to fight as soon as possible.

Regarding the rumors circulating in King's Landing and the Riverlands about an affair between Lysa Arryn and Littlefinger, Eddard stated that he did not believe a single word of it; this must be a vicious slander by Littlefinger, attempting to smear the pure and chaste widow of Jon Arryn. Eddard believed that Lysa Arryn was innocent, and Lord Hoster would also believe in the innocence of his daughter, Lysa Arryn.

Eddard believed that the Eyrie was impregnable, and if paired with the giant eagles and dragons of the North, the defense would be perfect.

Whether it was the Lannister or any other hostile force attempting to attack the Vale of Arryn, the North would crush the enemy and let little Robin Arryn sit securely in the Eyrie.

Thanks to 20190712220123637, 20230113125210637, General Zhen Dong, Loneliness of One Person, Sing White VeLuMe, Web Novel Purification Master Pure-hearted Young Man Tang Shao, Dote MR Little Rocket Forever Happy, Wind Blowing Swaying, for the monthly tickets sent; thank you for your support!

(End of this chapter)