Chapter 189: Golden Lady, Shadow Assassin

Twenty thousand Northern soldiers marched majestically through the gates of Harrenhal; the Riverlands residents who had come to Harrenhal for refuge lined the roads to welcome the arrival of the Northern army.

Bears danced among the crowd, giant eagles soared in the sky, and giants riding mammoths cheered and shouted alongside the Mountain Clans. The Magic Dragon Flying Wolf leaped down from the majestic walls of Harrenhal, causing the soldiers from the North's east coast to let out bursts of screams. Nowadays, the Magic Dragon had become the pride of the North, and it seemed the Riverlanders also viewed the Magic Dragon as their own pride; the Magic Dragon had become the key to uniting the people's hearts.

This was the army of the Eastern Northern nobles, consisting of troops from House Bolton of the Dreadfort, the Karstark family of Karhold, the Locke family of Oldcastle, the Flint family of Widow's Watch, the Manderly family of White Harbor, and other noble houses.

This legion gathered at White Harbor, boarded ships from the North's east coast, traveled through the Bite, passed the Three Sisters and the Five Fingers, entered Crab Bay, landed at Maidenpool in the Riverlands, and finally arrived at Harrenhal.

Roose Bolton of the Dreadfort, Ser Wylis Manderly, heir to White Harbor, his brother Ser Wendel Manderly, Robett Flint of Widow's Watch, Lord Haris Hornwood of Hornwood, Lord Rickard Karstark of Karhold, and Harrion, heir to Karhold, walked at the very front of the cavalry.

Eddard welcomed the arrival of the Northern nobles in the courtyard of Harrenhal, with the Magic Dragon Flying Wolf circling above, while the direwolves Nightwalker, Nymeria, and Lady stood guard by Eddard's side.

Stannis swept a cold glance over the guards behind Eddard, "Eddard, you are still quite polite, knowing to address me as Your Majesty."

Eddard smiled, "Your Majesty Stannis, it is a pleasure to see you again."

At this moment, Eddard saw the weirwood dagger not far away; it turned out that while he was sleeping, he had accidentally bumped into it, causing it to fall to the ground.

Stevron was taken aback, "Father, it is said that this Northern army numbers over thirty thousand. It would be most unwise for us to provoke the Northern army. Do not forget, Elmar and Olyvar are both serving as wards to the Starks by Eddard's side."

Thoros thought for a moment, "Wolf Prince, why do you ask this? On the continent of Essos, it is rumored that there are some red priestesses who possess the ability to gestate shadow assassins. Shadow assassins emerge at night, quietly approach their enemies, and deliver a fatal blow."

Eddard pushed forward the salt prohibition and the household registration system, uncovering many hidden populations; now, Winterfell had recorded figures for how many people each major Northern noble house had. Even if some nobles, for their own selfish interests, wanted to send a small number of troops to perfunctorily fulfill the Stark summons in order to preserve their strength, such a situation was now very difficult.

Stannis tightened his jaw, "Correct, I came here only to ask you, you have twenty thousand troops at Harrenhal, when will you march on King's Landing and the Westerlands?"

Lord Tywin cleared his throat, "Golden Lady, how is it that you know certain military secrets? Many Western nobles in my camp do not even know that the stag wearing a rose garland has gone to the Westerlands; how do you know?"

The Westerlands army easily occupied Wayfarer's Rest of House Vance and Pinkmaiden of House Piper, and also raided Acorn Hall of House Smallwood, but the remnants of Marq Piper and Karyl Vance were still resisting in the surrounding hills and woods.

Melisandre said, "Your Majesty, the Wolf King Eddard is the greatest threat to your unification of Westeros; in the holy fire, there are no lies."

Lord Rickard Karstark said, "Wolf Prince, now that the army has assembled at Harrenhal, is the army to attack King's Landing immediately, or head west to join the Western Army commanded by the Young Wolf Robb to clear out the Lannisters invading the Riverlands?"

Ser Roger Hogg protested to Eddard, "Wolf Prince, we owe our allegiance to King Joffrey; why do you attack my castle without cause?"

Ramsay did not come; it seemed Eddard's plan to eliminate Ramsay would have to be postponed.

Stannis narrowed his eyes, "I do not need your help to take King's Landing. My only worry is that when I attack King's Landing, Tywin's Westerlands army will strike from the Golden Road; it would be best if you marched to the Westerlands sooner."

The Red Priest Thoros walked into the study and handed Eddard a glass of Blue Noble. Eddard said, "Thoros, you are a follower of the Lord of Light R'hllor; have you heard that some red priestesses can rely on carrying a king's child to create things like shadow assassins?"

Eddard said, "Your Majesty Stannis, surely you did not come here to discuss the Kingsguard and the Rainbow Guard with me."

Antler Castle lowered the banner of King Joffrey's Crown of the Stag and the roaring lion, and raised the banner of the direwolf.

If Melisandre's shadow assassin were to strike, Eddard did not want Catelyn by his side. Eddard did not want Catelyn to witness such evil things.

Eddard returned to Harrenhal, and night soon fell. After dinner, in the bedroom on the second floor of the Kingspyre Tower, Eddard called Catelyn to his side, "Catelyn, go sleep in Sansa and Arya's room tonight."

"However, my damn younger brother Renly seems to like the Kingsguard very much. After he usurped the throne at Highgarden, he even upgraded the Kingsguard into the Rainbow Guard. People like the Knight of Flowers, Tarth's beauty Brienne, and Robar Royce of the Vale were all stuffed into the Rainbow Guard by him. When it comes to real fighting, what use are these embroidered pillows?"

The Golden Lady revealed a charming, sun-like smile, and her eyes emitted an eerie red glow; Jaime found it difficult to tear his gaze away from the Golden Lady's eyes.

Ser Roger Hogg frowned, "If we swear allegiance to you, we will become traitors in the eyes of King Joffrey. We nobles of the Crownlands must swear allegiance to whoever occupies the Iron Throne."

Eddard said, "Your Majesty Stannis, there have been frequent reports of victory lately! I heard that you led the lords of the Narrow Sea and easily captured Duskendale, Rook's Rest, and Claw Isle. More than half of the Crownlands' territory has fallen into your hands."

The sullen-tempered King Balon often did not reply to letters, which Eddard had long been accustomed to. However, Eddard speculated that it was only a matter of time before King Balon donned the driftwood crown and declared himself king.

Varamyr rode on a snow bear over four meters tall, and the terrorbird, unicorn, and Borroq's wild boar nearby were equally frightening in size.

The next day, Eddard sent Fellan, Lord Rickard, and Ser Wendel with three thousand cavalry and dozens of giants riding mammoths to march majestically toward Antler Castle and Sow's Horn, southeast of Harrenhal.

The Magic Dragon Flying Wolf lay by Eddard's side, its body like a furnace, its two blood-red eyes like burning coals. Could this Magic Dragon truly be the reincarnation of Lyanna?

Chella, who wore a necklace of human ears, said, "Father of Life, if you are to teach us how to plunder, it is quite redundant. Fish know how to swim, birds know how to fly, and the warriors of the Mountain Clans are born to rob and pillage."

Eddard said, "Night? Can shadow assassins not emerge during the day?"

Stannis nodded slightly, "Correct, Lord Ryfleh Lake of Duskendale has surrendered, as has Lord William Staunton of Rook's Rest. Duskendale is the largest port in the Crownlands besides King's Landing; I have obtained much grain, warhorses, and ships. Eddard, I must thank you; it was your suggestion that I attack the Crownlands. My territory used to consist only of a few islands in the Narrow Sea and Massey's Hook, but now my territory has expanded several times over, and my military strength has also grown several times, exceeding ten thousand men."

This sounded like a prayer from a follower of the Lord of Light R'hllor, but Eddard knew clearly that Melisandre was threatening him. The shadow assassin in the long night was going to hunt the Wolf King at Harrenhal.

House Frey only had a history of six hundred years and could not compare to those ancient families that had once reigned as kings in the Riverlands; therefore, House Frey viewed marrying into great noble houses as more important than anything else.

Shield Dawson was Eddard's bannerman, and the direwolf of House Stark roared on the banner. They waited for a while on the Kingsroad, and Stannis, the Onion Knight Davos Seaworth, and the red priestess Melisandre appeared before Eddard.

"Who are you?" Could it be a camp follower? Camps were always followed by prostitutes, and many soldiers liked to seek comfort from prostitutes before a great battle. But Jaime had only slept with Cersei; whether it was a noble lady or a prostitute, Jaime could not muster any interest.

After Stannis, the Onion Knight, and Melisandre had walked a long way, they arrived at an abandoned village; the villagers here had long since fled because of the war.

The direwolf Nightwalker lunged toward the shadow, but it was as if it had crashed into the air, missing its target. The shadow assassin lunged toward Eddard, and Eddard reached out to grab the weirwood dagger, but the dagger was gone.

Ser Kevan gasped in shock, but Lord Tywin was very calm, "Golden Lady, without a doubt, your lion has proven itself. I feel that this lion of yours matches my Lannister sigil quite well. It would be best if you could stay and help the Lannisters. Your lion can help me deal with the direwolves."

Stevron Frey, the sixty-something heir to The Twins, said, "Father, the Northern army has already marched toward The Twins; leading this army is the Wolf King's son Robb, along with the Blackfish Brynden."

Shagga wore exquisite plate armor and brandished a sharp battle-axe, "Father of Life, rest assured, our warriors of the Mountain Clans have known how to rob since they were children; otherwise, we would have starved to death long ago."

The direwolf Nightwalker lay under the bed asleep, and the Flying Wolf hung upside down from the rafters, closed its eyes, and soon entered dreamland.

That night, in Eddard's bedroom, only the Magic Dragon Flying Wolf and the direwolf Nightwalker remained.

There was not a trace of emotion in Roose Bolton's eyes, which were like black ice.

Jaime walked out of the Pinkmaiden castle and returned to his own tent in the camp.

Syrio Forel said, "Wolf Prince, are there assassins?"

Stannis said irritably, "You have spoken the truth; I will not be grateful to you for an obvious fact. You say you have no ambition to be king, but why is Ser Barristan with you? Is he your Kingsguard?"

Eddard said, "Robb is taking the army to fight at Riverrun; I have sent Domeric to assist Robb. Roose, has that bastard of yours, Ramsay Snow, joined the campaign?"

Jaime turned around and saw a lion standing behind him with its bloody mouth wide open. Jaime was terrified, his hair standing on end, and he retreated repeatedly, gripping his sword, "You actually hid such a large lion in my tent?"

Although the red priest Thoros was a fat, gluttonous monk, he devoutly believed in the Red God R'hllor, but not so fanatically.

The shadow assassin screamed repeatedly and fell to the ground, yet still did not die completely. At this moment, the flying dragon swooped down from the rafters and spat a mouthful of dragonfire; the dragonfire engulfed the shadow assassin, burning and bursting.

Lord Tywin now lived in Lord Piper's castle and slept in Lord Piper's bedroom, but Jaime liked to live in the camp and liked to be with the soldiers.

When Shield Dawson and Syrio Forel broke in, they saw dragonfire burning on the floor, and around the dragonfire was a pool of boiling black blood.

"The North is an ally of the Riverlands; provoking the Northern army will inevitably trigger a siege by the North and its Riverlands neighbors. Do not forget, Lord Hoster's health has improved, and the one in charge at Riverrun now is not Edmure, but Lord Hoster!"

In the blink of an eye, Eddard's Ice was knocked away by a powerful force; he fell to the ground, landing under the bed. The shadow assassin loomed over him, and the sword of darkness swung down toward Eddard's head.

The Kingspyre Tower, Ghost Tower, Wailing Tower, Widow's Tower, and Terror Tower of Harrenhal were each so large that they could only be described as absurd; even the smallest guest room was large enough to accommodate a giant sleeping.

Stannis frowned, "Killing Eddard, would that win me the support of the North, the Riverlands, and the Vale?"

Melisandre shook her head, "No, I have not seen that in the holy fire for the time being."

Jaime found it quite interesting, "The Golden Lady? I have no gold to pay you, and I am certainly not foolish enough to believe that relying on an animal tamer can win a war. You must be the type who directs bears to dance at weddings, right? Those little tricks of yours are completely useless on the battlefield."

In recent years, Eddard had successively conquered the Rockborn of Skagos and conquered Beyond the Wall; his personal prestige had reached its peak in the North, and many commoners and nobles were willing to fight for Eddard.

Bronze Yohn had replied to Eddard's letter; he was deeply shocked by Lysa Arryn's illicit affair with Littlefinger and Littlefinger's murder of Jon Arryn, and he would never allow Robin Arryn, Duke of the Vale of Arryn, to be controlled by someone like Lysa.

In the woods outside Harrenhal, Melisandre's red hair fluttered; her pregnant belly was drenched in sweat under the moonlight, black blood flowed out, and the shadow of death was cast into the human world by the Red Cloak, silently crossing the walls of Harrenhal.

After capturing Duskendale, Claw Isle, and Rook's Rest, Stannis possessed vast lands in the Crownlands, and his strength greatly increased. Now, the Crownlands north of Rosby and Stokeworth were entirely under Stannis's control. Of course, except for Antler Castle and Sow's Horn; these two castles had been captured by Eddard's Winter Wolves.

Eddard picked up the Weirwood Dagger; when the Shadow Assassin closed in, Eddard was as agile as a spirit cat, and the Weirwood Dagger pierced the Shadow Assassin's chest.

Eddard said, "Joffrey is a bastard of Cersei and the Kingslayer; he has no right to sit on the Iron Throne. Sir Roger Hogg, while King Robert was still alive, you let the Lannister army hide in your castle. As soon as King Robert died, the knight 'Fat Pig' of the Westerlands set out from Sow's Horn with Lannister soldiers, attempting to seize Harrenhal."

Facing the Shadow Assassin, once Eddard failed, he would die an untimely death, and everything would be over.

Eddard said, "We are at war, what is there to talk about fairness? If you are willing to fight for the Winter Wolves and swear your allegiance to me, after the war, I will return your castles; everything depends on your own performance."

As the largest castle in Westeros, Harrenhal was more than spacious enough even with twenty thousand Northern Army troops pouring into it.

To stabilize the morale of the army, Tywin and Kevan suppressed the news brought by the raven and did not tell anyone about Renly Baratheon's march toward the Westerlands, but this Golden Lady actually knew; Tywin found it increasingly inconceivable.

"Sir Jaime, if you do not accept my help, pray tell, what do you intend to use to counter the Direwolf, bears, and giant eagles of the Wolf King Eddard?"

Lord Walder said, "Then let Edmure Tully take his place! For so many years, I have been proposing marriage to Riverrun, hoping to marry off a daughter to Edmure, even letting him choose at will, but Hoster has always declined with every excuse. Now, Riverrun is under siege; if Riverrun wants the Northern reinforcements to arrive, let Edmure marry one of my daughters—this request is not excessive, is it?"

The Golden Lady followed Jaime to the hall of Pinkmaiden; the wooden screen in the hall depicted a dancing maiden, which was the sigil of House Piper. Duke Tywin was staring intently at a map, with Sir Kevan accompanying him on the side.

Valyrian Steel, also known as "Dragon Steel," is the nemesis of the Others; is Ice effective against the Shadow Assassin? In his dreams, the Wood Dancer and the Green Seer, when mentioning the threat of the Shadow Assassin, told Eddard to prepare a Weirwood Dagger, never mentioning Valyrian Steel.

"Talla." The blonde beauty sat up, revealing an evil smile, "Sir Jaime, I am an animal tamer from Lys across the Narrow Sea; everyone calls me the Golden Lady. I have come to win this war for the Lannisters."

Lord Walder said disdainfully, "I thought it was the Wolf King Eddard leading the army himself! If this brat wants to come and cross the bridge at our The Twins of House Frey, heh! I might not even open the gate!"

Jaime lowered his voice, "Father, she easily brought a large lion into my tent. The twenty thousand-plus Westerlands soldiers in the camp saw nothing."

Sir Kevan muttered, "This is impossible."

Stannis said, "Many of my lords of the Narrow Sea say that the North's strength is too great and that you will eventually be crowned king; do you have such intentions?"

In the last two days, the news of Renly Baratheon's army marching from Highgarden toward King's Landing made Tywin feel very troublesome. The vanguard of the army of The Reach gathered at Old Oak had already entered the territory of the Westerlands along the Ocean Road.

Eddard instructed these leaders of the Mountain Clans, "Do not kill the innocent indiscriminately; move the commoners to Harrenhal, especially women and children—capture more of them. Seize more grain and livestock."

The Magic Dragon flew in circles in the sky; the white-haired Sir Roger Hogg and the young Stev looked at each other, both revealing expressions of fear toward the dragon.

The lord of Sow's Horn was Sir Roger Hogg; he was a Knighted Landed Knight, white-haired but strong and sturdy, with a fiery temper. The Hired Knights under Sow's Horn, plus the temporarily recruited local militia, did not exceed three hundred people in total, crowding the walls of Sow's Horn.

The Westerlands army of over twenty thousand, after crossing the Red Fork in the Riverlands, dared not penetrate further north into the Riverlands, precisely because they were worried about Renly Baratheon marching toward the Westerlands.

Stannis said gloomily, "Then why kill Eddard? Once Eddard is dead, do you expect the brat Robb to counter Tywin and the Kingslayer?"

Roose Bolton of the Dreadfort said in a soft voice, "Wolf Prince, the nobles of the eastern North have gathered a total of less than thirty thousand troops; currently, twenty thousand have been brought to Harrenhal, and eight thousand remain in Maidenpool. We need to help Lord William Mooton hold Maidenpool, because many ships of the Beijing Donghaian Fleet are docked at Maidenpool."

Sir Barristan spoke up, "Your Majesty Stannis, that day in King's Landing, Cersei ordered her strongman pet to strangle King Robert; many of my hypocritical brothers of the Kingsguard became lackeys for the Lannisters. I could not possibly serve as a guard for the bastard Joffrey, so I defected to the Wolf King Eddard. Now, I am the personal guard of the Wolf King Eddard and also the commander of the Winter Wolves; I am no longer a Kingsguard."

The Golden Lady said, "I can easily prove it to you; please look behind you."

Duke Tywin said, "Golden Lady, we already know of your prowess, so please tell me, how should we hunt this Stag wearing a rose crown?"

"Besides taming lions, I can also charm all kinds of birds and beasts. Duke Tywin, I believe that at this moment, you should rather deal with the Stag wearing a rose garland than the Direwolf. The Stag wearing a rose garland has gone to the Westerlands."

Stev of Antler Castle said weakly, "Wolf Prince, the Winter Wolves occupied our castle and emptied the castle of its grain, property, and livestock; doing this is not fair to us."

Sir Roger Hogg and Stev knelt before Eddard, swearing their allegiance to Eddard.

Eddard shook his head, "I am not Robert's Heir, how could I be crowned king? Your Majesty Stannis, Joffrey, Myrcella Baratheon, and Tommen Baratheon are all bastards of Cersei and the Kingslayer; you are the rightful Heir to the Iron Throne." Although not beloved by the people.

Lord Walder said excitedly, "What talk of marriage? House Frey is the most steadfast ally of the Starks and Tullys; we will be the eternal servants of the North. Quickly open the city gates, lower the drawbridge, and welcome the Young Wolf!"

Moreover, Eddard had over twenty giant eagles in his hands, as well as the Magic Dragon; whether it was the Bloody Gate, Moon Gate, or the Eyrie, none could stop the Northern air force.

Dozens of candles, a roaring fire in the fireplace, and the presence of the Magic Dragon in the bedroom made the room very warm.

Sir Roger Hogg of Sow's Horn, Stev of Antler Castle, and their families were escorted to Harrenhal.

A flock of sparrows chirped as they flew into the hall, covering the tables, the wooden screen, and the rafters—at least several hundred of them; Jaime, Duke Tywin, and Sir Kevan all fell into deep self-doubt.

Prince Doran Martell of Dorne did reply to the letter; in the letter, he told Eddard that Dorne had no intention of getting involved in the war and no intention of forming an alliance with anyone. Prince Doran was a cautious man; until the situation became clear, he would not act rashly.

At Hundred Hearth Hall, Eddard hosted a banquet for the Northern nobles; the tables were filled with Roasted Trout, snail meat, onion beef, blueberry cake, and Lemon Cake. Roose Bolton looked around; he saw Theon by Eddard's side but did not see Domeric, so he asked, "Wolf Prince, where is my Domeric?"

Melisandre wore a wide red robe that wrapped around her snow-white skin; Eddard was very curious whether she was pregnant under the wide red robe, and whether she was carrying a Shadow Assassin.

Melisandre smiled, "Wolf Prince, Harrenhal is a cursed place; you must be careful, for the Long Night is dark and full of terrors!"

However, under Eddard's meticulous operations, the Lannisters were completely unable to look after themselves. At this time, Stannis was attacking the Crownlands, and large swaths of land in the Crownlands were occupied by Stannis; Stannis's army was currently attacking Duskendale. Duskendale was the largest port in the Crownlands besides King's Landing and had a large population; once Duskendale fell and King's Landing was blockaded, the Lannisters would completely lose their outlet to the sea in the Crownlands.

"I left Ramsay at the Dreadfort. Ramsay is far inferior to his brother Domeric; even if he went to the south, I fear he would not be of much help."

Thirty thousand Northern cavalry, infantry longswords, armor, and lances emitted the cold light of steel; Giant King Mag, carrying over a hundred giants, rode on mammoths, and the warriors of the Giant Eagle Tribe flew over The Twins on giant eagles.

In addition, Eddard also dispatched Chella of the Black Ears, Timett of the Burned Men, Conn and Ulf of the Moon Brothers, Greenwood of the Wood Dancers, and others to raid the villages of the Crownlands.

A gust of cold wind blew in; the Direwolf Winter immediately crawled out from under the bed, baring its teeth and letting out a growl.

The Golden Lady said, "As an animal tamer, I can understand the language of animals, but ravens do not easily reveal secrets. At such times, I can charm the ravens, let them land on my arm, control the ravens, and steal letters. But rest assured, I have not stolen your ravens' letters; I have my own eyes and ears."

Eddard broke out in a cold sweat; he could only use the Valyrian Steel Greatsword Ice to meet the enemy. Ice slashed at the shadow, as if slashing at the air; after the shadow was split by the sword light, it gathered together again.

In fact, Eddard's true target was the Vale of Arryn. Lysa was hiding in the Eyrie with Robin Arryn; she was Littlefinger's puppet. As long as Lysa held the Eyrie, the Vale of Arryn could not possibly send a single soldier to join the Northern army.

Renly Baratheon was leading the army of The Reach toward the Westerlands' Cornfield; Cornfield was the southern gateway to the Westerlands. Once it fell, the Westerlands army fighting in the Riverlands would have its morale shaken.

Jaime introduced, "Father, Uncle, this is the Golden Lady Talla; she is an animal tamer who can help us deal with those skinchangers of the Wolf King Eddard."

The Northern soldiers were scattered and living in the Wailing Tower, Ghost Tower, Terror Tower, and Widow's Tower; tents were set up in the courtyards, and there were some in the Godswood as well—after all, the Godswood of Harrenhal covered twenty acres.

A Shadow Assassin appeared before Eddard; Eddard recognized the silhouette of this shadow—the person casting the shadow must be Stannis, that man with the hard chin and stern face.

Lord Walder gave a cold hum, "Even if Duke Hoster's health improves, he won't outlive me. I didn't say I wouldn't open the gate; as long as that brat Robb is willing to marry a daughter of House Frey, I will let him cross the river. If he is unwilling, he can take the long way, walk several hundred miles more, and go cross the river at the Ruby Ford downstream!"

Eddard said, "Then you will have to live in the dungeon, waiting for that brat king to come and save you, or pay a ransom. Don't forget, there are three kings now; you are loyal to Joffrey, so in the eyes of Renly Baratheon and Stannis, you are a traitor."

Lord Rickard, Roose Bolton, and the brothers Wyllis and Wendel of White Harbor, along with dozens of nobles, knelt before Eddard one by one; Eddard signaled for everyone to rise.

The descendants of House Frey all stared in astonishment.

The Northern Army arrived beneath the walls of The Twins; Lord Frey sat on his palanquin atop the battlements, his smile gradually fading.

However, Prince Oberyn the Red Viper clearly stated in a letter to Eddard that although Dorne would not join the war, the Red Viper would still bring an army as a mercenary company to the Riverlands to fight side-by-side with the direwolves, in order to slaughter the Lannisters and avenge Princess Elia Martell.

Shield Dawson and Syrio Forel, who were outside the door, heard the sounds in Eddard's room and rushed over, attempting to ram the door open, only to find it covered in a black mist and impossible to break through.

Furthermore, Lord Walder had married eight wives over the course of his long life and had countless descendants; through marriage, House Frey had relatives all over Westeros.

The giant eagle nearly tore off Joffrey Baratheon's skull, ripping away a large patch of his scalp. Jaime had been in close contact with Eddard's direwolf, Nightwalker, in King's Landing; that pitch-black monster was taller than a warhorse, and every warhorse seemed to fear the scent of a direwolf.

A beastmaster might be able to deal with those fierce beasts; Jaime began to re-examine the golden lady before him.

The appointed time was noon; Eddard felt that under the sunlight, Melisandre's shadow assassin should not be able to do as it pleased. Thus, Eddard mounted the direwolf Nightwalker and, taking along the Water Dancer Syrio Forel, the Red Priest Thoros, Shield Dawson, Ser Barristan, Fellan, the Lightning Lord, and Theon, he left Harrenhal and galloped toward the Kingsroad.

The letter Eddard wrote to King Balon of the Iron Islands received no response. In the letter, Eddard hoped for an alliance between the North and the Iron Islands, hoping the Iron Islands would attack Casterly Rock and Lannisport.

Eddard instinctively used both hands to block, and the sword of darkness struck the weirwood bracelet; the weirwood bracelet shot out a beam of light, hitting the shadow assassin, which retreated while screaming.

Catelyn was puzzled, "Why?"

"Sansa always says Harrenhal is haunted; tonight, go and sleep with Sansa and Arya!"

Eddard woke from his sleep.

The golden lady nodded, "Easily done. That is how I saw the stag wearing roses—that is, Renly Baratheon, who has usurped the throne—and his marching route. There is a spider, Varys, in King's Landing who loves to boast about his little birds; in truth, the beastmaster's little birds are the most formidable."

"However, compared to Renly, I am far too poor. The nobles of The Reach and the Stormlands are all licking Renly's noble backside. What I especially cannot tolerate is the Stormlands nobility; Storm's End should legally belong to me, yet those damned Stormlands nobles have all abandoned me and defected to Renly."

Previously, Eddard had written to Lysa, hoping she would send knights from The Vale to Harrenhal to join the army fighting the Lannisters. Eddard also explicitly mentioned in the letter that rumors were circulating in King's Landing and the Riverlands about an affair between Lysa and Littlefinger. As a result, this letter sank like a stone, with no response at all.

The golden lady reached out to stroke the lion, and the lion lay down tamely on the ground. The golden lady laughed, "I thought, how much do the people of House Lannister love lions? The Lannisters boast of being roaring lions; why are they so frightened when they see a lion?"

Thoros said, "In the sunlight, the shadow assassin cannot run rampant."

The castle's great hall, Hundred Hearth Hall, was even larger than the King's Great Hall in the Red Keep of King's Landing, capable of hosting a feast for an entire army.

Relying on only a few letters, Eddard had made Stannis and Renly fight the Lion of Lannister to a standstill according to his own plan.

The golden lady said mysteriously, "In the forest of seedlings, pheasants, and wild boars, the rose and the stag are destined to return in defeat."

Eddard said, "Stannis has already led troops to capture Claw Isle and Rook's Rest, and is besieging Duskendale. When I retreated from King's Landing to Harrenhal, Harrenhal was being attacked by the Westerlands Knight, the Stout Pig Lyle Crakehall. The Lannisters hid several hundred elite troops at Sow's Horn to ambush Harrenhal, but fortunately, I routed them."

Eddard filled the bedside of his bedroom with incense candles and then lit them one by one.

Jaime sheathed his longsword and forced himself to stay alert, "Actually, I wasn't afraid, just a bit surprised. Golden lady, if you can truly help me defeat those skinchangers of Stark, my father, Duke Tywin, can bestow upon you much gold."

Eddard said, "The magic dragon is at Harrenhal; if you are interested, you can go to Harrenhal to see it." If you dare to go, I dare to ensure you never return.

A storm was brewing in The Vale; he believed the situation in The Vale would soon reach the ears of the King's Landing royalty and the Lannisters of the Westerlands. The Imp and Tywin would certainly hope to take advantage of the situation in The Vale to secure some potential allies.

But if he did not go to the appointment, it would mean potentially losing an ally like Stannis.

Eddard said, "The Lannisters are still in the Riverlands. Riverrun, the seat of my father-in-law Lord Hoster, is being attacked. The territory of House Vance at Wayfarer's Rest and the territory of House Piper at Pinkmaiden have largely fallen. Harrenhal is not safe either; the Westerlands Army could bypass the Gods Eye at any time to attack Harrenhal. I must drive the Lannisters out of the Riverlands before considering an attack on King's Landing and the Westerlands."

Stannis snorted, "Ser Barristan, once you left the Kingsguard, the Kingsguard in King's Landing became a den of thieves. I ascended the throne at Dragonstone; I did not establish my own Kingsguard because it is unnecessary. The Mad King Aerys died at the hands of his own Kingsguard, and Robert was murdered right under the noses of his own Kingsguard. The Kingsguard is of no use whatsoever."

Murderous intent filled the golden lady's emerald eyes.

It is said that Prince Oberyn has already set out for Tyrosh; once the mercenary company has recruited enough men, they will take a ship to the Riverlands.

Jaime said, "When I was in King's Landing, I heard that the Eagle King McCain could control owls, falcons, and eagles to gain the vision of birds, and Eddard also has this ability. Can you gain the vision of sparrows through these sparrows?"

The chubby Heir to White Harbor, Ser Wyllis, sported a thick beard and looked just like a walrus. He said, "Lord Eddard, I remember that the lords of Sow's Horn, House Hogg, are merely Knighted Landed Knights. The Count of Antler Castle is not a great noble either; taking such castles is a piece of cake for our Northern Army."

Lord Walder Frey sat upright on his chair in the great hall of the east castle; the chair was made of iron oak, with the backrest carved in the shape of The Twins. He was over ninety years old and looked very much like a weasel covered in age spots.

Eddard had previously written to his ally in The Vale, "Bronze" Yohn Royce, telling the Count of Runestone that Lysa was having an affair with Littlefinger, and that it was Littlefinger who had murdered the noble former Duke of The Vale, Jon Arryn.

Eddard and Catelyn, Arya, and Sansa moved to the second floor of Kingspyre Tower, where Lady Shella Whent of Harrenhal resided. The first floor was occupied by the commanders of the Winter Wolves and Northern nobles, such as the Lightning Lord, Ser Barristan, Thoros of Myr, Greenbeard, Fellan, Dermot of the Rainwood, and Ser Tallad.

"If a daughter of our House Frey at the river crossing could marry Robb, and House Frey and House Stark were to intermarry, then in the future, which of the Riverlands nobles—like House Vance, House Mallister, House Bracken, or House Blackwood—would dare to look down on the Freys?"

The Onion Knight said excitedly, "Your Grace, the Wolf King Eddard is fighting the Lannisters alongside you. Now, the Lannister bastard Joffrey has stolen your Iron Throne, and the Lannisters also murdered King Robert. If Your Grace listens to Melisandre, you will lose a steadfast ally."

Another Stormlands army under Renly, after gathering at Storm's End, was slowly marching toward King's Landing. Once it joined with the army from The Reach that had set out from Highgarden, this army of tens of thousands would be fully capable of taking King's Landing.

Melisandre said, "The threat of the Lannisters is far less than that of the Wolf King Eddard. Do not forget, Eddard has a dragon; the threat of the magic dragon outweighs everything. Your Grace planted the seeds long ago, and they have already blossomed and borne fruit. As long as you release the servant of the Lord of Light, you can eliminate Eddard. Once Eddard is dead, the magic dragon will belong to Your Grace; this is the will of the Lord of Light, R'hllor."

In the study of Kingspyre Tower at Harrenhal, Eddard held Stannis's letter in his hand. In the letter, Stannis invited Eddard to meet on the Kingsroad east of Harrenhal.

The shadow assassin seemed to be condensed from black mist, brandishing a longsword surging with black fog; the incense candles by the bed flickered.

Screams came from the guards outside the door; the lion charged in, knocking two Lannister guards in red-robed lion helmets to the ground.

The upper reaches of the Green Fork, The Twins.

Eddard stroked the Valyrian steel greatsword Ice with one hand, and a weirwood dagger with the other; this was a dagger made for him by Morna White Mask.

Duke Tywin and Ser Kevan exchanged shocked glances. The stag wearing a rose wreath clearly referred to Renly, who had crowned himself King at Highgarden.

"You can control fierce beasts like direwolves, bears, and giant eagles? I remember that only skinchangers can control fierce beasts."

The steward, Lothar Frey, was a cripple and also a son of Lord Frey. He said, "Robb is a Stark, the Heir to the North. Everyone says that now that Joffrey, Stannis, and Renly have all crowned themselves kings, Eddard has the full strength to crown himself king and could put on the crown of the King in the North at any time."

Antler Castle and Sow's Horn had no strategic value, but taking these two castles as an appetizer was not bad. The wealth, cattle, sheep, and pigs of these two castles were all moved to Harrenhal by the Winter Wolves.

Eddard said, "I have giant dragons, giant eagles, giants, and tens of thousands of heavy cavalry; The Vale and the Riverlands are both loyal allies of the North. I have annexed Beyond the Wall, something even the Conqueror could not do. You had better think clearly; during wartime, picking the wrong side and placing the wrong bet is very dangerous. Your castles and territories could very well be reduced or even confiscated."

Eddard said, "The Northern Army has traveled far by ship and is weary; quickly arrange for the soldiers to stay in the five towers."

Jaime snorted, "Beauty, don't just talk the talk. I have seen the Wolf King Eddard, the Eagle King McCain, Prince of Giant Eagles Michu, and the Bear King Byars in King's Landing, and they all have fierce beasts by their sides. Where are your fierce beasts?"

Night shrouded the Riverlands; Jaime stood on the walls of Pinkmaiden, the seat of House Piper, gazing at the camp outside the castle. The campfires of the Westerlands Army shone under the moonlight like pearls scattered across the earth.

Melisandre smiled, "Onion Knight, you cannot see the ambition of the Wolf King Eddard; after all, the Wolf King is not an onion in a smuggler's bag. I want Your Grace to eliminate the Wolf King Eddard."

Therefore, before the decisive battle with the Lannisters, Eddard had to attempt to bring Lysa and the young Lord Robert under his control; in this way, The Vale would be brought under the banner of the direwolf.

After the Northern Army arrived at Antler Castle, the Count of Antler Castle, Stev, a pale and frail young man, still wanted to close the gates to resist. However, Dodo, leading several giants carrying large tree trunks, smashed the gates open in a few blows, and Count Stev had no choice but to surrender immediately with his soldiers and family.

Eddard decided to stay at Harrenhal. Harrenhal was located north of the Gods Eye, and the Isle of Faces in the center of the Gods Eye was covered in weirwood trees. The power of the Old Gods in this place was strong; even the followers of the Red God R'hllor could not do as they pleased at Harrenhal. Eddard wanted to resolve the issue of Melisandre's shadow assassin here, and once he had no worries behind him, he would march on the Vale of Arryn.

"Sow's Horn and Antler Castle, these Crownlands nobles, are adjacent to the Riverlands and very close to Harrenhal. I intend to send troops to capture these two castles, and at the same time, send troops to raid the Crownlands, plundering as much of the population and grain as possible to send to Harrenhal."

Stannis's mouth pursed into a negative curve, "Woman, that magic dragon is a gift blessed by the Old Gods. As a foreigner, you may not be aware that the Isle of Faces south of Harrenhal is the place with the most weirwood trees. I do not understand the Old Gods, yet I still feel that the Old Gods have great power here."

Eddard ordered these civilians to be settled in Harrenhal, having them polish armor in the armory, fletch arrows, cook in the kitchen, feed horses, and perform other tasks.

The castle of The Twins spans both banks of the Green Fork; there is a stone castle on each bank, identical to one another, connected in the middle by a stone bridge, with the River Gate Tower in the center of the bridge.

Stevron frowned, "Robb is the Young Wolf; it is unlikely the Wolf King would agree to this marriage so easily."

In the courtyard, the direwolves Lady and Nymeria also let out roars, their howls echoing through the yard.

Duke Tywin stared at Talla before him with those golden eyes, "A beastmaster? This beautiful lady is so delicate; I feel that Eddard's direwolf could snap her neck with a single bite. Do you expect her to deal with fierce beasts and skinchangers?"

The golden lady walked with a sway of her voluptuous waist and hips, every step a temptation, "Skinchanging is merely a form of telepathy; a beastmaster is more powerful than a skinchanger, and I can easily charm those fierce beasts."

Because the guest rooms at Harrenhal were too large and had terrifying legends of being haunted, Arya and Sansa now slept in a bedroom on the second floor of the Kingspyre Tower, a bedroom larger than any in Winterfell.

The red woman Melisandre stared at the direwolf Eddard was mounted upon, "Wolf Prince, your direwolf truly opens my eyes. Where is your magic dragon?"

As soon as Sir Roger Hogg saw the giants riding mammoths and thousands of heavy cavalry, he still shouted about resisting, but the hired knight guarding the city was scared out of his wits; a hired knight opened the side gate, and the Northern Army cavalry swarmed in. After a brief and bloody resistance, Sir Roger Hogg was captured, and the banner of the direwolf was raised over the ramparts of Sow's Horn.

Eddard was in no hurry to march into the Vale, partly because the army of his ally Bronze Yohn had not yet finished assembling, and partly because of Melisandre of Asshai.

At this moment, the heir of The Twins, Stevron, approached, "Father, a raven has flown in from Maidenpool; over twenty thousand of the Northern Army have traveled by sea and already landed at Maidenpool. This army outside The Twins is only the Western Army. Father, do you still intend to propose the marriage?"

Could this be a conspiracy by the red woman Melisandre? Melisandre of Asshai wanted to assassinate Eddard, and the Green Seer and Wood Dancer had both sent warnings to Eddard in his dreams. Would it be safe to go to the meeting?

"You should be glad you encountered me; if Stannis had captured your castle, the charge of colluding with the Lannister alone would be enough for him to execute you."

The warriors of the Mountain Clans, Shagga, Timett, Chella, Greenwood, and Ulf, brought back over six hundred commoners from the Crownlands, and the wagons were packed with grain, cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks, and geese.

After the Northern Army arrived, Eddard could march into the Vale of Arryn at any time. He had the support of the Mountain Clans, and Brynden Tully, who had long served as a Knight of the Bloody Gate, had drawn maps of the area around the Bloody Gate for Eddard; Eddard now had full knowledge of all the goat paths near the Bloody Gate.

"Close the gates, raise the drawbridge; in any case, if Eddard and Hoster do not meet my conditions, they can forget about crossing the river."

Prince Oberyn had once served as a mercenary in the Disputed Lands and had even founded his own mercenary company. He had many friends in Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys. With the Red Viper's charisma, it would be very simple to raise a mercenary company in Dorne or the Free Cities across the Narrow Sea.

The Wood Dancer of the Isle of Faces and the Green Seer beyond the Wall had both warned Eddard to be wary of shadow assassins. It must be Melisandre of Asshai; the red woman must have foreseen something in the holy fire, which is why she was so eager to eliminate Eddard. If Eddard rashly went to the Vale, who knew if Melisandre would use a shadow assassin to launch a sneak attack?

Eddard sat by the window for a long time, but the shadow assassin never came; he grew drowsy and lay down on the bed to sleep.

Jaime pushed open the tent and walked in. Lying on the bed was a beautiful woman with golden hair, green eyes, and an ivory silk gown. Her figure was perfect and curvaceous, and she exuded the scent of lavender. For a moment, Jaime even thought it was Cersei who had come.

The red woman Melisandre was the standard-bearer, and Stannis had converted to the faith of R'hllor, so his banner was a flaming heart; the crowned stag of House Baratheon looked like a fly in the center of the banner, completely swallowed by the flames, and if one did not look closely, it was impossible to see.

Now, Bronze Yohn was already in the Vale, beginning to contact House Hunter of Longbow Hall, House Redfort of Redfort, House Belmore of Strongsong, and House Templeton of Nine Star. Soon, he would assemble these houses loyal to Jon Arryn, gather an army, and march on the Eyrie to call Lysa Arryn to account, seeking to reclaim Duke Robin Arryn from her.

Eddard said, "Your Grace, you and I have together destroyed the Lannister; Your Grace has occupied King's Landing and sits upon the Iron Throne, so who would dare question the legitimacy of your crown?"

Whether it was Tywin on the battlefield in the Riverlands, or the Imp and Cersei in King's Landing, they were all currently so overwhelmed by the stag that they had no time to spare for matters in the Vale.

"The assassin is dead," Eddard said, stroking the direwolves. "The assassin died at the hands of the Old Gods and the magic dragon."

Thanks to 20190207082838607, Dote MR Little Rocket Forever Happy, Heavenly Dynasty Mighty, Lu Sen Lu Dai Mu, Obedience for the monthly votes sent; thank you for your support!

(End of this chapter)