Chapter 187: Conquering the Vale, Melisandre, and the Mountain Clans

In the study of the Wailing Tower at Harrenhal, Eddard summoned Ser Waymar Royce.

Ser Waymar Royce was handsome and dashing, deeply beloved by the maids of Harrenhal, and even Sansa was infatuated with him.

When Eddard first took Ser Waymar Royce as his ward, Waymar was flamboyant and arrogant, but at Eddard's side, Waymar, along with Domeric, was responsible for feeding the direwolves and polishing the armor and the Stark ancestral sword, Ice, every day.

Every day, Waymar Royce sparred with elite warriors of the Winter Wolves like Baron Swann, Ser Dermot of the Rainwood, the Lightning Lord, Fellan, and other experts; he lost miserably every time, and his character began to become steady and much more humble.

Eddard gestured for Ser Waymar to sit opposite him, "Waymar, I want to write a letter to your father, Bronze Yohn, hoping he will summon the lords of the Vale and prepare to march on the Eyrie."

Ser Waymar was startled, "March on the Eyrie? Why?"

Eddard lowered his voice, "When I was in King's Landing, I discovered a secret: Lysa has been having an affair with the Master of Coin, Littlefinger, and Lord Jon Arryn was murdered by Littlefinger. Robin is Lord Jon Arryn's only flesh and blood; he cannot be controlled in the hands of a harlot like Lysa."

"Bronze" Yohn Royce is the Lord of Runestone, one of the most powerful nobles in the Vale, and also an important ally of Eddard in the Vale.

Lord Yohn Royce has always had a close relationship with House Stark of the North, because the ancient and proud House Royce once ruled as kings in the Vale during the era of the First Men; they were the Kings of the Vale before the Andal invasion and the strongest opponents encountered when House Arryn unified the Vale.

In ancient times, House Royce piously worshipped the Old Gods, and the famous bronze armor of House Royce is engraved with the runes of the First Men, not the seven-pointed star emblem of the Andals.

However, because the Vale was the first region to fall during the wave of Andal invasions, in the thousands of years that followed, House Royce had to accept the fate of being assimilated by the Andals; House Royce gradually accepted the Faith of the Seven, and by the generation of Bronze Yohn, Bronze Yohn himself and his four sons were all Knights.

But deep down, House Royce never abandoned the faith of the Old Gods.

The words of House Royce are "We Remember," just like the bronze armor that House Royce wears, passed down for a thousand years; House Royce has not forgotten the Weirwood Heart Tree, has not forgotten the Old Gods. House Royce is more like the knights of the North; although they became knights, they are not so pious toward the Seven and are more willing to pray to the Old Gods.

Eddard and Waymar Royce wrote the letter together, handed it to Maester Norman, and released the raven.

The knights and nobles of the Vale support Lysa Arryn entirely because she is the widow of Jon Arryn and the mother of Robin Arryn.

Littlefinger wants to use Lysa and Robin to control the Vale and sit back to watch the Lion of Lannister and the direwolves of Stark slaughter each other, but it is a pity that his schemes and plots are useless once they are brought into the sunlight.

If Bronze Yohn knew of the affair between Lysa and Littlefinger, and knew that Lysa's lover, Littlefinger, had murdered Jon Arryn, who was deeply loved by the people and nobles of the Vale, he would certainly unite the nobles of the Vale to hold Lysa accountable. Lysa might have supporters in the Vale, and she might be able to resist the questioning lords of the Vale at the Eyrie, but the hearts of the people in the Vale would be shaken.

The Winter Wolves, with the cooperation of House Darry and House Root, have completely controlled the ford at the Ruby Ford; one hundred Winter Wolves and seven hundred soldiers recruited locally from the Riverlands are stationed at the Ruby Ford.

Eddard has already taken the initiative to show weakness to Renly Baratheon, Joffrey Baratheon, and Stannis. In order to win the support of the North and the Riverlands, it is estimated that Lord Renly—no, King Renly—will soon march on the Westerlands.

Tens of thousands of knights from the Reach, the Roses of Highgarden, are not to be trifled with. If the Lannisters continue to attack the Riverlands, they may face the risk of their base in the Westerlands falling.

If the Lannisters agree to a truce with the Riverlands and withdraw from the Riverlands to turn and deal with Renly's army from the Reach, after Eddard's Northern Army arrives in the Riverlands, they can march directly into the Vale and bring the Vale under the banner of the direwolf.

Let Renly, Stannis, and Joffrey slaughter each other for a crown! Eddard will consolidate the alliance of the Riverlands, the Vale, and the North.

Sunlight shone on Riverrun, and Lord Hoster Tully stood on the balcony of his castle bedroom, looking out at the camp of the Westerlands Army outside.

After taking the medicine from Eddard's Maester, Norman, Lord Hoster's health had clearly improved.

Before the enemy arrived, Lord Hoster had received Eddard's warning; he ordered all the residents of the territory west of Riverrun to be relocated to the east of the Red Fork. When the Lannisters reached the gates, Edmure Tully wanted to lead the troops out to fight, but Hoster ordered the sluice gates to be opened, letting the moat, the Tumblestone River, and the Red Fork turn Riverrun into an isolated island in the water.

Lord Tywin looked at Riverrun, at his wit's end, and had no choice but to lead his main force to attack the lands of House Vance and House Piper, leaving a large army to guard outside Riverrun.

Outside the moat, there were camps of the Westerlands Army everywhere, with flags flying; Lord Hoster saw the striped wild boar emblem of House Crakehall, the burning tree emblem of House Marbrand, the hooded man emblem of House Root, the sun-shining golden stake emblem of House Lefford, the purple unicorn emblem of House Brax, and the bantam rooster emblem of House Swyft.

The most common one was the roaring lion emblem of House Lannister.

The heir to Riverrun, Edmure Tully, said angrily, "Father, the Lannisters and the enemies from the Westerlands are ravaging our lands; when will we go out of the city to fight?"

Hoster said, "Going out of the city to fight would fall right into the Lannisters' trap; our forces are insufficient, it is enough to hold Riverrun."

Edmure Tully was anxious, "But the lands of House Piper and House Vance are being attacked."

Marq Piper and Karyl Vance were both close friends of Edmure Tully, and Edmure was concerned about the people and friends of the Riverlands. Edmure Tully said excitedly, "Father, you should have summoned the lords of the Riverlands long ago; if the Riverlands army were gathered together, one battle would be enough to crush Lord Tywin."

Hoster said, "Edmure, you are no longer young, why are you still so impulsive? In a head-on confrontation, the Riverlands cannot beat Lord Tywin at all. Lord Tywin is hoping that we will summon our troops and gather them at Riverrun; if that happens, the other castles in the Riverlands will inevitably be left defenseless, and Lord Tywin would only need to crush us in one battle, and then he could break the other castles one by one."

"The longer we drag this out, the more favorable it is for us. The Lannisters murdered Lysa's husband, Jon Arryn; I have already sent a raven to the Eyrie, demanding that Lysa summon the knights of the Vale to fight in the Riverlands. If nothing goes wrong, your uncle, the Blackfish Brynden, will also come. Eddard is holding Harrenhal, and once the Northern Army arrives in the Riverlands, we can launch a full-scale counterattack and drive the Lannisters out of the Riverlands."

Cersei and Tyrion stood on the walls of the Lion Gate in King's Landing, reviewing the three thousand newly recruited soldiers of the City Watch.

Inside the Lion Gate and on the streets outside, the area was crowded with onlookers.

Relying on Lannister gold, the newly recruited City Watch soldiers were all wearing brand-new gold cloaks, with new swords and new boots; even their truncheons were new.

Queen Regent Cersei was in a pure black dress; as a widow who had just lost her husband, she was still in mourning for King Robert, but the smile on Cersei's face was as bright as a new bride's. Clearly, the sister was very satisfied with the new recruits.

Thanks to Cersei, the number of the City Watch had climbed from two thousand to five thousand, and with the gold cloaks recruited today, the number of gold cloaks had reached eight thousand.

Cersei said, "Whether it is Eddard, Stannis, or Renly, none of them can easily take King's Landing; the City Watch is powerful."

Tyrion clearly did not have as much confidence as Cersei; he said gloomily, "Damn it, they look the part, but when it comes to real fighting, how many of them are actually useful? In my opinion, more than half are just wet-behind-the-ears brats who probably don't even know how to hold a sword to stab someone."

Cersei said triumphantly, "Brats can at least grow up. When recruiting, I specifically instructed Commander Janos Slynt not to take those toothless, white-haired old men. Don't worry, let Lord Janos Slynt train the gold cloaks for a while, and they will be well-trained."

Tyrion said disdainfully, "Janos Slynt is good for nothing but corruption and sycophancy. I suggest letting the Red Keep master-at-arms, Ser Allar Deem, take over the training of the gold cloaks." Actually, Ser Barristan Selmy would have been the best candidate to train the new recruits, but unfortunately, because of the Lannister assassination of Robert, Ser Barristan left King's Landing and turned to Eddard.

Cersei said, "Ser Allar Deem is the master-at-arms of the Red Keep; he needs to train the noble children of the Red Keep, and he has his own things to do. Leave it to Lord Janos Slynt! He has always been obedient to my orders."

The Commander of the City Watch, Janos Slynt, looked like a bald frog; he rode on a tall horse with great momentum and majesty, but who knew the horse would suddenly start bucking, the warhorse reared up, and Janos Slynt was so scared he hugged the horse's neck tightly, yet he still fell off the horse and landed face-first in the dirt.

The onlookers, and even the gold cloak soldiers, burst into laughter. Cersei, can you really not see what kind of person this Janos is?

Lancel walked over, his armor covered in golden enamel, and his breastplate bore the roaring lion of House Lannister. As the eldest son of Kevan Lannister, Lancel had served as a squire beside Robert for many years, acting as the eyes and ears for the Lannisters to monitor the King, and at the same time, Lancel would comfort the lonely Cersei when Jaime and Robert were busy.

Lancel had sandy-brown hair and light green eyes; as Cersei's boy toy, Lancel had always been very arrogant in front of Tyrion.

However, after Robert died and Jaime left King's Landing to fight in the Riverlands, Lancel was a bit depressed. After Ser Barristan left King's Landing, a vacancy appeared in the Kingsguard; he had originally hoped to be knighted and become a member of the Kingsguard, but he was replaced by Cersei with the flame-wielder Nurus.

Nowadays, the one accompanying Cersei at night is either the flame-wielder Nurus or another strongman, the Black Kong Tabit from the Summer Islands; Lancel's opportunities to be with Cersei were clearly fewer, and he therefore began to frequent brothels. I remember Cersei saying that Nurus and Tabit were both gladiators from the Meereen fighting pits; I think they are more like bed slaves cultivated by Yunkai.

Tyrion was very curious: if Jaime knew that Cersei was messing around with other men behind his back, would he draw his sword and kill them?

Lancel walked up to Cersei, "Queen Regent, I long to be knighted. This is the Lion Gate, and I am a Lion of Lannister; where else could be more suitable for being knighted than here?"

Cersei revealed a sweet smile, "There are many knights in the Red Keep; the knights of the Kingsguard can all dub you."

Tyrion said evilly, "Why not let the flame-wielder Nurus dub you!"

Lancel was startled and glared at Nurus in the distance with a look of disgust, "He is of slave origin and just became a member of the Kingsguard; let's forget it! The one who dubs me must be a famous knight."

At this moment, the Mountain, Gregor Clegane, walked over with his pack of mad dogs: Dunsen, Polliver, Old Chiswyck, "Tickler" Lothar, and others.

The shadow of the Mountain loomed over Cersei and Tyrion.

"Your Grace, Lord Tywin has summoned me to return to the Westerlands; I have come to bid Your Grace farewell."

Cersei frowned, "Ser Gregor, I order you to stay in King's Landing. King's Landing may be attacked by enemies at any time; Eddard is at Harrenhal, Stannis is at Dragonstone, and Renly's army is in the Stormlands south of the Blackwater River. King's Landing needs a warrior like you."

The Mountain said, "Your Grace, I also want to stay in King's Landing, but Renly's army from the Reach is gathering near Old Oak and may attack the Westerlands at any time; I must leave."

Clearly, the Queen's orders were not as effective as those of Lord Tywin; the Mountain is Lord Tywin's mad dog, not Cersei's.

The Mountain turned to leave, and Tyrion said, "Ser Gregor, Lancel wishes to become a Knight. He hopes for a knighting by a famous knight, and who is more qualified than you? You may knight him." The Mountain was indeed famous, but not for being renowned throughout the world; he was infamous.

Thus, Ser Gregor drew that ugly two-handed greatsword, and Lancel was terrified the moment he saw it. Lancel clearly did not want to be knighted by the Mountain, but he dared not refuse, so he could only kneel on the ground like a tame little puppy.

The Mountain patted Lancel on the shoulder left and right, skipping even the prayer.

During these days in King's Landing, not a single prostitute the Mountain had patronized survived; he also went on a killing spree in Flea Bottom, hacking to death many innocent commoners. Tyrion was happy to see this mad dog leave King's Landing; staying here would only make the Lannisters even more notorious.

Ser Gregor, leading his pack of mad dogs, mounted his warhorse and departed through the Lion Gate.

Cersei stood atop the Lion Gate, watching Ser Gregor's receding back, and said with resentment, "I had originally intended to send Ser Gregor to Harrenhal to deal with Eddard."

Tyrion said, "Sister, continuing to antagonize Eddard is most unwise. Eddard has already apologized in his letter for the giant eagle injuring Joffrey; he hopes for a truce."

Cersei said bitingly, "But Eddard has not sworn fealty. Varys also said that the Northern Army continues to march south along the Kingsroad, and the North Fleet, having departed from White Harbor and laden with Northern soldiers, has already exited the Bite and is passing through the waters east of the Five Fingers. It would be fine if the North Fleet were going to the Riverlands, but what if they come to King's Landing?"

Tyrion sighed, "Anyone can see that Eddard is deliberately stalling for time; he hopes for us to crusade against Stannis and Renly Baratheon. I am certain that in the letters Eddard sent to Renly and Stannis, he likewise lowered his posture, requesting the Baratheon brothers to annihilate the Lannisters."

"If the Westerlands Army continues to struggle in the Riverlands against the allied forces of the Riverlands and the North, even if Renly is a wastrel, he could still take the undefended Westerlands. Do not forget, The Reach possesses the most abundant grain and soldiers in the Seven Kingdoms."

Cersei said, "I hold the twins of the Redwyne family in my hands; the Redwyne House has not joined Renly's banner. I hear that the Hightower family is also holding their position."

Tyrion said, "But the army of The Reach is still larger than that of the Westerlands, and that is not counting the troops Renly left in the Stormlands. I believe our father, Lord Tywin, has already foreseen the threat from The Reach; Jaime and Gregor will soon be put to use in the war against The Reach."

"From the moment you decided to use your hulking pet to strangle Robert, it was destined that the Lannisters would face the siege of Stannis, Renly, and Eddard. Furthermore, the vipers of Dorne and the sea monsters of the Iron Islands are stirring; once they smell the weakness of the lion, they will join the feast to hunt the Lannisters."

Cersei suppressed her anger, "That little slut Margaery married Renly. I reckon Margaery was already deflowered by Robert when she was in King's Landing, right? Renly actually doesn't mind Robert's leftovers. I thought Renly only loved the Knight of Flowers."

Tyrion shrugged, "He likes sweet wine, but what does that matter? Give Renly a beer, and he will drink it all the same. Renly is the biggest threat right now, but I do not fear Renly; I fear Stannis more. Who knows what conspiracy Stannis is brewing on Dragonstone?"

Dragonstone, Dragonstone Castle, Painted Table Hall, candlelight flickering.

The candles were ordinary tallow candles, not aromatic candles; Stannis had always been a frugal man.

On the massive map table, the topography of various places in Westeros was engraved—castles, rivers, forests, towns, and ferries. Stannis sat upright on the throne, which was just high enough above the map to overlook the entire continent of Westeros; the throne was positioned exactly at the location of Dragonstone on the map.

The red priestess Melisandre, the Onion Knight, Maester Cressen, and Queen Selyse Florent stood in attendance before King Stannis.

Melisandre, the red priestess from Asshai, had fire-red hair, which, along with her blood-red robe, set off her snow-white skin, heart-shaped face, red eyes, and perfect waist and hips, making any man's heart beat faster at the sight of her.

In contrast, Queen Selyse's appearance was far inferior. Queen Selyse had a pair of protruding ears, a trait of many members of the Florent House, a thin frame, a plain face, and she even grew a beard. No wonder Stannis neglected the Queen and spent every night with Melisandre.

Melisandre said softly, "Your Grace, back then, Aegon the Conqueror and his sisters began their great conquest of Westeros from this very room."

Stannis's face was gloomy and his expression taut, "Woman, are you mocking me? I have summoned all the vassals of Dragonstone, and my troops number less than five thousand."

Melisandre said, "When Aegon the Conqueror set out, he brought even fewer troops than you."

Stannis gave a light snort, "Aegon and his sisters had three dragons; I do not."

Melisandre revealed a sweet smile, "Your Grace is the hero chosen by the Lord of Light, Azor Ahai reborn; it is fated that you shall wield Lightbringer and save all of humanity."

Stannis rose and walked down from the throne, saying sternly, "I cannot even save myself, let alone save the world? I am Robert's legitimate heir, yet the bastard Joffrey has stolen my Iron Throne, and Renly has stolen my Storm's End. Melisandre, if the Lord of Light truly has such power, then help me remove Renly and Joffrey immediately."

In Melisandre's eyes, flames burned.

"Your Grace, Joffrey and Renly, those who have usurped the crown, shall surely meet their own destruction; the true threat is Eddard Stark."

The Onion Knight was shocked, "Your Grace, the Wolf King Eddard is the only great lord who wrote a letter to celebrate Your Grace donning the crown."

The aged Maester Cressen, with his white hair, said, "That is correct, Your Grace. The Wolf King Eddard stated in his letter that the North, the Riverlands, and The Vale all consider Stannis to be the legitimate heir of King Robert and are willing to help Your Grace annihilate Joffrey and the Lannisters."

"The Wolf King Eddard can bring the support of the Riverlands, the North, and The Vale to Your Grace; he is an ally of Dragonstone. As long as Your Grace unites with the Wolf King Eddard and Lord Renly, you will certainly be able to sweep away the Lannisters."

Stannis gritted his teeth, "Old man, have you lost your mind? Lord Renly has long since crowned himself king; he has all the troops of Highgarden and Storm's End in his hands. In any case, I will absolutely not cooperate with Renly; instead, I am considering going to the Stormlands to win the support of the lords of the Stormlands."

The Onion Knight said, "Your Grace, the Lannisters who murdered King Robert occupy King's Landing; it would be most unwise for you to go and kill each other with Renly. You should attack King's Landing directly."

Stannis said sternly, "King's Landing has too many people, and the Lannisters have hidden too many mercenaries in this city. I might be able to take King's Landing, but my army would suffer heavy casualties. I have only five thousand soldiers in total; I cannot afford a siege."

The Onion Knight said, "The Wolf King Eddard has already suggested in his letter that our army could use Crab Isle as a springboard to attack the Claw Isle. Most of the ships of the Royal Fleet returned to Dragonstone with Your Grace; the lords of the Narrow Sea and the lords of Massey's Hook all possess some ships. The navy is our advantage; we can easily occupy the Claw Isle."

"Now that the Wolf King Eddard is stationed at Harrenhal, he can help us occupy the Crownlands. Once our army occupies most of the Crownlands, we can attack King's Landing from the north and the sea, taking it in a pincer movement. King's Landing has a population of five hundred thousand; relying on the Crownlands, Your Grace will have enough to crusade against the Lannisters and Renly."

Stannis gave a light snort, "Eddard's calculations are shrewd; he clearly wants me to occupy the Crownlands so I can block the attacks on King's Landing for him. However, it seems I have no other choice; the Crownlands can provide grain, warhorses, and soldiers—all of which are lacking on the islands of the Narrow Sea."

Melisandre said, "I support Your Grace in marching toward the Crownlands; the closer we are to Harrenhal, the better."

The Onion Knight, Queen Selyse, and Maester Cressen exited the Painted Table Hall. In the Painted Table Hall, only Melisandre and Stannis remained.

Stannis frowned, "Melisandre, you seemed to have something left unsaid just now; why do you think Eddard is a greater threat? At the very least, he has not usurped the crown."

The large red ruby at Melisandre's throat sipped the light.

"In the holy fire, there are no lies. I saw in the flames a man with a wolf's head sitting on the Weirwood Throne, with a direwolf, a falcon, and a trout by his side; a dragon lay on his shoulder, and the lion, the stag, and the rose were all bleeding and weeping before the Weirwood Throne."

"Eddard is the only one who has hatched dragons. House Stark worships the Old Gods; without a doubt, that wolf-headed man is Eddard. We must kill him, otherwise, this person will be the greatest threat to Your Grace unifying Westeros."

Stannis said disdainfully, "Eddard holds Harrenhal, and he has plenty of elite soldiers and fierce generals under his command; I fear it will not be so easy for you to kill him."

Melisandre took Stannis's hand and guided it to her belly; Stannis felt a wave of warmth.

"As long as Your Grace's army approaches Harrenhal and brings me beneath the castle, a single shadow will be enough for me to kill the Wolf King! However, to conceive a shadow requires Your Grace's cultivation and sowing."

"Your Grace, please sow the seed and kill the Wolf King Eddard!"

Harrenhal, Eddard was on the training grounds watching Ser Barristan drill the new recruits. At the smithy nearby, the master armorer Lukam, with over fifty blacksmiths and apprentices, was forging longswords, weapons, and armor; Gendry was among them.

Eddard had summoned many blacksmiths from Harrenhal Town, the small town of Lord Harroway, and other places to Harrenhal. Combined with the camp blacksmiths of the Mummers and the Brave Companions, the number of blacksmiths and apprentices in Harrenhal was now quite sufficient.

The side gate of Harrenhal opened, and the Captain of the Guard, Jory Cassel, led over twenty cavalrymen. Most of these cavalrymen were wounded, their armor covered in either blood or mud. Following behind Jory Cassel was the renowned "Blackfish" Brynden Tully.

Brynden Tully was Catelyn's uncle, the younger brother of the Lord of Riverrun and Warden of the Riverlands, Hoster Tully, nicknamed "Blackfish."

Back then, Lord Hoster had arranged a marriage for Brynden Tully, ordering him to wed Bethany Redwyne of the Hightower family. Brynden refused, and Hoster was furious, accusing Brynden of being the black sheep of House Tully. Brynden retorted that the sigil of House Tully was a trout, so he could only be the black sheep of the family. From then on, Brynden Tully used a black trout as his personal sigil.

Brynden was one of the most famous knights in the Riverlands, though his fame did not come from tourneys, but from his performance on the battlefield.

Brynden Tully was skilled at commanding cavalry in battle and was considered one of the best commanders in all of Westeros; whether in sieges, defending castles, or commanding scouts, he had an excellent record. As early as the "War of the Ninepenny Kings," Brynden Tully had won fame for his military exploits, and later, during the War of the Usurper, Brynden Tully was one of the most outstanding generals among the lords of the Riverlands.

After the War of the Usurper ended, Lysa married Jon Arryn of the Vale of Arryn. The Blackfish Brynden, who had been on bad terms with Lord Hoster for many years, chose to serve Jon Arryn, serving for many years as a Knight of the Bloody Gate in the Vale.

The Blackfish Brynden had gray hair, blue eyes, and thick eyebrows. Eddard was shocked to see the silver-gray armor of the Blackfish and his sky-blue cloak stained with blood, "Ser Brynden, you are wounded?"

Brynden smiled wearily, "Don't be nervous, Eddard; this is merely the blood of the enemy. However, many of my men are wounded, and they need treatment."

Eddard immediately called for Morna White Mask and Septa Mordane to wash and bandage the wounds for these soldiers.

Upon hearing that Ser Brynden the Blackfish had arrived, Catelyn immediately brought her daughters Arya and Sansa before him. Catelyn embraced the Blackfish, "Uncle Brynden, it is so good to see you."

Ser Brynden the Blackfish stroked Catelyn's hair, "Little Cat, at least you still know how to fight for the Riverlands; Lysa only knows how to stay in the Eyrie, holding that six-year-old child of hers and nursing him."

Catelyn asked in surprise, "What is wrong with Lysa?"

Ser Brynden the Blackfish spat on the ground, "Not long after Lysa returned to the Eyrie, King Robert and Jon Arryn both died in King's Landing, and Riverrun and parts of the Riverlands were attacked by the Lannisters. I requested that Lysa summon the Canyon Knights so that I could lead them to fight in the Riverlands."

"Do you know what Lysa said? 'Uncle Brynden, the Lannisters might attack the Vale; the Canyon Knights must remain in the Vale to protect the safety of sweet Robin. You are a Knight of the Bloody Gate and must remain at the Bloody Gate; you are not allowed to go anywhere.' I do not understand, as a daughter of Riverrun, why she is so hard-hearted? Watching her homeland being attacked yet refusing to lift a finger—it seems that Jon Arryn dying at the hands of the Lannisters has made Lysa even more neurotic."

Eddard sneered, "Ser Brynden, Jon Arryn did not die at the hands of the Lannisters, but at the hands of Littlefinger Petyr Baelish."

Ser Brynden the Blackfish was shocked, "Littlefinger? That is impossible. Littlefinger grew up in Riverrun; I watched him grow up alongside the Tully children. That boy was clever, and he was promoted by Jon Arryn himself. Why would he want to harm Jon Arryn?"

Eddard said, "Littlefinger has been having an affair with Lysa all along; it is no surprise at all that he killed Jon Arryn."

Catelyn said gloomily, "When my father was at Riverrun, he also confirmed that back then, Littlefinger defiled Lysa, and Lysa was forced to drink tansy and moon tea to abort the child."

Ser Brynden the Blackfish recalled the various events from back in Riverrun and when Lysa married into the Eyrie. He suddenly realized that it was a fact that Lysa and Littlefinger had an affair. He sighed, "No wonder all these years, Lysa has been distant from Lord Hoster. In that case, it is understandable that Lysa refuses to send troops to rescue Riverrun."

"Seeing that Lysa refused to send troops, in a fit of anger, I resigned from my position as a Knight of the Bloody Gate and left the Eyrie. Some soldiers who had followed me at the Bloody Gate for years chose to leave with me. We were over fifty people in total, but while walking on the mountain roads of the Vale of Arryn, we encountered the damned Mountain Clans—the Stone Crows, the Moon Brothers, and the Black Ears—who intercepted us in turns. We were blocked in the valley for over a month and lost too many good men."

The Mountain Clans, like the Wildlings, the Rockborn, and the Starks, are all descendants of the First Men; their living customs are very similar to the Northern Mountain Clans and the Wildlings.

When the Andals invaded Westeros, their first stop was the Vale. After many kingdoms of the First Men were destroyed, the First Men fled into the deep mountains, unyielding and refusing to be assimilated by the Andals; their descendants are the Mountain Clans. The Mountain Clans fight among themselves incessantly, fight while wearing animal skins that reek of musk, are poorly equipped, and spend their days plundering passersby on mountain roads, often raiding villages in the Vale to steal women and children.

Sometimes, the Mountain Clans also run to the Riverlands to plunder. Every time the Canyon Knights set out, the Mountain Clans would flee into the deep mountains and valleys, and as soon as the Canyon Knights withdrew, the Mountain Clans would resume their daily routine of robbing and killing.

Even Jon Arryn could not solve the problem of the Mountain Clans. Now that the Vale is ruled by Lysa Arryn, it is estimated that the Mountain Clans will be a huge hidden danger.

Eddard said, "Ser Brynden, that you were able to break out of the encirclement under the siege of so many Mountain Clans can be considered a stroke of luck amidst misfortune."

Brynden pointed to a warrior nearby wearing a fur cloak; this man's right ear had been cut off, and he had a goat-like beard.

"This is Conn; he is from the Moon Brothers and is my friend. The year before last, I led the Canyon Knights to defeat Chella of the Black Ears and rescued him; he was a captive of Chella at the time. The Black Ears have a custom of cutting off the ears of captives; Conn's ear was cut off at that time."

"This time when I took the mountain road, I brought over fifty subordinates, thinking that was plenty of people. Who knew that the Mountain Clans had even more, with hundreds in every attack, both infantry and cavalry. We were attacked by the enemy in turns and blocked in a valley shrouded in fog. It was thanks to Conn acting as a guide that I escaped the valley; Conn is very familiar with the various valleys of the Mountains of the Moon."

Eddard pondered for a long time, "Ser Brynden, I feel that after Jon Arryn's death, the Mountain Clans will be a major hidden danger for Lysa and the Vale of Arryn. I have decided to send troops to the Vale of Arryn to help Lysa and the Canyon Knights conquer these Mountain Clans."

Catelyn was shocked, "Eddard, what are you thinking? We are at war with the Lannisters, Riverrun is under siege, and Harrenhal could be attacked by the enemy at any time. You actually have the mood to go and conquer those barbarians of the Mountain Clans? They have been in the valleys for thousands of years; why bother with the barbarians?"

Eddard smiled, "I want the warriors of the Mountain Clans to fight for the Direwolf."

Lord Tywin wore a suit of plate armor forged from pure gold, riding on a golden saddle; his stirrups, spurs, and helmet were all gold products, and his cloak was sewn with gold thread.

The Westerlands Army captured Wayfarer's Rest of House Vance and Pinkmaiden of House Piper; Karyl Vance and Marq Piper fled with their remnants into the forests and mountains.

The Kingslayer Jaime rode to Tywin's side, "Father, the enemy collapsed at the first touch and is no match for us at all. The Westerlands Army has won great victories in succession."

Lord Tywin said, "This kind of victory is not worth mentioning. Pinkmaiden and Wayfarer's Rest have no strategic value. The only thing I want in the Riverlands is Harrenhal. It is a pity that Eddard took that magnificent castle first with the Winter Wolves."

Jaime said, "Eddard has already taken the initiative to show weakness to us; he seems to have the intention of begging for mercy."

Lord Tywin gave a light hum, "Jaime, you are a good hand at fighting, but unfortunately, you know nothing about the ways of power. Eddard has shown weakness to the royal family in King's Landing and said a lot of nice things, but he has not sworn allegiance. Eddard's Northern Army is still marching south; there is no doubt that he will unite with the Vale, the Riverlands, and the Northern Army to fight against us."

"Jon Arryn is dead, and Lord Hoster is in poor health, but the alliance they forged back then still exists. There is no doubt that Eddard also has a lot of nice words for the usurpers Stannis and Renly, so as to provoke Stannis, Renly, and the Lannisters into attacking each other, while he sits and grows strong in Harrenhal and the North."

Jaime said, "Then why not take the army, cross the river, and head straight east? It is not too late to quickly attack Harrenhal while Eddard's forces are few."

Lord Tywin sighed, "Continuing east will lead to interception by House Blackwood and House Bracken, and the enemies at Riverrun might also come out to cut off our rear. What I am more worried about, in fact, is the enemy from The Reach."

"The Reach army is stationed at Old Oak; from there, marching north along the Ocean Road, they can reach the Westerlands in three days. Although I left enough troops at Crakehall to defend, and Crakehall Forest can also slow down the attack speed of the Reach cavalry, if the Reach has too many troops, it is obviously unrealistic to count on the forest and Crakehall to block the iron torrent of The Reach."

"If we fall into a protracted war in the Riverlands and The Reach takes the opportunity to invade the Westerlands, the loss will be too great and will shake the morale of the Lannister vassals. Renly is no threat on the battlefield, but The Reach has many famous generals; if he casually assigns one of either Mathis Rowan or Randyll Tarly, it will be enough for us to suffer."

Jaime frowned, "Having obtained the support of Highgarden, Renly's troop strength is now approaching one hundred thousand. The strength of The Reach is truly terrifying; Renly is a huge threat."

Lord Tywin said contemptuously, "I am glad that Highgarden has sided with Renly. Renly is less of a threat than Stannis, and Stannis's threat is less than Eddard's. Eddard has great ambition."

Jaime disagreed, "Really? The ones who usurped the throne are Renly and Stannis, not Eddard! Even if his new Northern territory is larger than the six southern kingdoms combined, even if Eddard has won the support of the Riverlands and the Vale, Eddard has not declared himself king."

Tywin said coldly, "If Eddard declared himself king, it would be more favorable for us, because he would be seen as a rebel by the southerners. However, now that he is hypocritically showing weakness, it presents us with a thorny problem."

"Back at the Wolf King Festival, when I saw Eddard in King's Landing, I saw the porcelain, briar pipes, wood carvings, and glass panes he gave to King Robert. I hoped that Eddard would be lost in the prosperous court of King's Landing and be happy enough to forget the North."

"Back then, the Lannisters used debauchery to ruin Robert; why not ruin an Eddard? It is a pity that Eddard is a pragmatic person. He not only likes gold, he likes grain, bread, armor, farmland, and castles even more. Eddard is in the North, organizing the Winter Wolves, building a fleet, constructing Wolf Castle, promoting a household registration system, and taming dragons and Wargs. I suspect that Eddard's ambition is even greater than Aegon the Conqueror."

Jaime stroked his sword belt, "So, Father's meaning is that Eddard's ambition is to destroy the Lannisters?"

A murderous glint flashed in Tywin's golden pupils, "The Wolf King has the means, the dragons, and the ambition. I suspect the Wolf King has the ambition to annex all of Westeros. The rise of the North has disrupted the balance of power in Westeros; the Direwolf and the Lion are now in a life-or-death relationship."

Three hundred Winter Wolves cavalry, led by Ser Brynden the Blackfish and the Moon Brothers guide Conn, entered the Vale.

Ser Brynden the Blackfish had officially joined the Winter Wolves and become a member of the Winter Wolves. Ser Brynden the Blackfish was very capable in mountain warfare, cavalry warfare, and river warfare. Most importantly, as Catelyn's uncle, Ser Brynden the Blackfish was loyal to the family. Eddard's subordinates had added another fierce general.

The mountains rose from the ground, providing a natural barrier for the Vale. In the eastern coastal area of the Vale of Arryn, there was a rugged coastline full of reefs, making it difficult for enemies to attack the Vale using warships.

To attack by mountain road, the enemy must attack the Bloody Gate, and the Bloody Gate had never been captured by an enemy from the west since ancient times; countless invaders had broken their heads against the Bloody Gate.

The Vale had fertile land and abundant products, surrounded by high mountains as a barrier; it was the true land of abundance in Westeros. Back then, after the Andals occupied the Vale, the King of the Vale expanded into the Riverlands many times; whenever a battle went unfavorably, they would calmly retreat back to the Vale.

Eddard rode on the Direwolf Nightwalker, with Eagle King McCain riding a horse beside him. In the air, owls, falcons, and hawks were responsible for reconnaissance. Prince of Giant Eagles Michu circled on the mountain peaks in the distance.

Bear King Byars rode on a brown bear over four meters tall, with Eddard's black and white bears beside him; Lady and Nymeria were responsible for the rear guard.

Ser Brynden the Blackfish looked at the Warg beside him and was full of admiration. He said, "Wolf Prince, I have fought for a lifetime, and this is the first time I have seen a Warg and a skinchanger. I always thought that so-called skinchangers were just legends."

Eddard said, "Ser Brynden, I tell you, I have seen Wights Beyond the Wall, and dragons have hatched in the Godswood of Winterfell. With the recovery of spiritual energy, ancient powers have awakened. In such an era, legends are often true."

The guide Conn suddenly reined in his horse and said, "Wolf Prince, if you want to find the villages of the Mountain Clans, you have to head north. Continuing along the mountain road will lead directly to the Eyrie's fortress, the Bloody Gate."

Eddard frowned, "I thought the warriors of the Mountain Clans would come to attack us directly!"

Ser Waymar Royce leaned over and said irritably, "Wolf Prince, those barbarians of the Mountain Clans are all cowards and timid people. Seeing the Canyon Knights in full armor, they flee into the deep mountains every time. They only dare to attack lone travelers or those in small numbers. Our Winter Wolves have three hundred men; the cowards of the Mountain Clans would never dare to provoke us!"

Ser Waymar Royce had once been captured by Shagga of the Stone Crows. In the village of the Stone Crows, he had spent two years milking cows and goats, and was finally ransomed by his father, Yohn the Bronze. Therefore, Ser Waymar Royce had a deep hatred for the Mountain Clans.

The sun set earlier in the Vale. After dark, under the bright moonlight, Eddard led the Winter Wolves as they marched along the narrow mountain road.

Scouts of the Mountain Clans hid behind rocks and watched secretly. Hundreds of ragged warriors appeared from all directions of the mountain road, either on foot or riding skinny mountain horses, holding stone weapons, wooden mallets, pitted and rusty longswords, and wicker shields, surrounding the three-hundred-man team of the Winter Wolves.

The leading big man was Shagga of the Stone Crows. He was as sturdy as a small giant, with thick bronze-colored whiskers, wearing a lynx-skin coat and a horned helmet. Shagga brandished two stone axes and roared, "Who are you people? How dare you swagger into the territory of the Mountain Clans?"

Waymar Royce recognized Shagga and said, "Lord Eddard, it is this barbarian who captured me."

Beside him was Chella of the Black Ears; she was a short and strong woman, wearing a long necklace made of woven ears around her neck.

"You are truly tired of living. Even the Canyon Knights would not dare to swagger deep into the Mountains of the Moon like this at night."

Timett, son of Timett of the Burned Men, whose one eye was a horrific burn scar, used his one remaining eye to size up Eddard, who was riding a Direwolf.

"Look, they are circus folk, riding Direwolves and bears. What is so impressive about that? The Burned Men can use fire to burn these beasts to death."

The Red Priest Thoros of Myr laughed: "Fire? I can do that too."

Thoros stroked his Longsword, and the Longsword instantly burst into flames; some of the Burned Men were so frightened they trembled, thinking they had seen a god, and began to kowtow to Thoros.

But there were more warriors of the Mountain Clans who were restless; Greenwood of the Tree Brothers, draped in a suit of clothes woven from leaves, said: "Kill them all, the armor and weapons will be ours, and the Burning Sword will be ours too. I want that wolf pelt, kill them."

Anguy, Fellan, and Lareza all drew their bows and arrows; Eddard said: "Warriors of the Mountain Clans, if you insist on starting a war, you will die a miserable death. Fellan, show them what you can do!"

Under the moonlight, Fellan picked up his Dragonbone Longbow and aimed at Shagga, hitting the horn on his Horned Helmet with one arrow; the leaders and warriors of the Mountain Clans were all struck with terror.

Chella said in shock: "You can hit a target from that far away?"

Eddard said: "I am Eddard, the Wolf King of Winterfell in the North. My warriors all use Dragonbone Longbows! Unlike you Mountain Clans, whose archers use bows with a range no better than a slingshot. My warriors fight riding mammoths, bears, Direwolves, and Shadowcats, and we even have Giant Eagles."

Shagga looked around, "I only see bears and Direwolves, where are the Giant Eagles?"

Prince of Giant Eagles Michu swooped down from the sky riding a Giant Eagle, with another one following closely behind; the warriors of the Mountain Clans were filled with admiration.

Morona, wearing a Weirwood mask, said: "Warriors of the Mountain Clans, I am Morona from the Wildlings beyond the Wall. The Starks of the North, like the Wildlings, the Rockborn, and you Mountain Clans, are all followers of the Old Gods; we are all descendants of the First Men."

"In the eyes of the people of the North, the Wolf King Eddard is the Father of Life, because he led over a hundred thousand Wildlings to relocate to Winterfell. Not only did the Wildlings escape the hunting of the White Walkers, but they also welcomed a brand new life. Nowadays, the Wildling children can eat their fill and stay warm, the elderly can spend their twilight years by warm fireplaces, and everyone has been allotted land."

The guide Conn said: "I am from the Moon Brothers myself, and many of you know me. If the warriors of the Mountain Clans serve the Wolf King Eddard just as the Wildlings do, every Mountain Clan can live a new life. Our children can eat their fill and stay warm, and their mothers can receive care from the Maesters in the castles instead of suffering from hunger in the valleys."

Chella, Gunthor, Shagga, Greenwood, Timett, and the others discussed it for a while. Greenwood said: "If we fight for the Wolf King, what is in it for us?"

Eddard stroked his Direwolf: "Plenty of food, exquisite armor, and weapons. If you want money, you can have money; if you want things, you shall have them. I will help you raise your children, and your children will even have the opportunity to learn to read and live in real castles. I swear in the name of the Old Gods, these are all sacred beasts blessed by the Old Gods. Warriors of the Mountain Clans, follow the banner of the Direwolf, and I will make you members of the Winter Wolves, a group that welcomes the grace of the Old Gods."

Thanks to 20221204002731333 for the tip and monthly ticket, and thanks to 20180928122622970, 20210401102304593, Mo Zi, 140814213231400, Fu Guang Yi Shu, and John Smith for the monthly tickets. Thank you for your support!

(End of chapter)