Chapter 192: King of the Vale, The Storm Changes Hands

Harrenhal, this castle located on the Kingsroad north of King's Landing, has fallen into the hands of King Stannis.

The Onion Knight Davos can tell that His Majesty Stannis is very pleased to have taken Harrenhal. Previously, the lords of Rosby and Stokeworth had fled into King's Landing with their families, soldiers, wealth, and grain, but the lord of Harrenhal chose to surrender directly.

House Harlow did not have the strength to resist Stannis's great army. Nowadays, the number of Stannis's army has exceeded ten thousand men. The lord of House Harlow, Countess Emisandra, is an infant in swaddling clothes, not yet a year old. When Stannis's army arrived beneath Harrenhal, the Acting Castellan chose to surrender directly.

The Lannisters had long had their eyes on Harrenhal. Duke Tywin had long ago arranged for his nephew Tygett to be betrothed to Countess Emisandra, so as to take over the countess's lands. The first thing King Stannis did upon entering the castle was to declare Countess Emisandra's betrothal void.

It is said that Stannis intends to have one of his knights betrothed to Countess Emisandra. Sir Guyard Morrigen, Sir Justin Massey, the second son of Stone Dance, Sir Clayton Suggs, who came from a background as a Hired Knight in Flea Bottom, and Sir Richard Horpe are all eager to try.

The Red Woman Melisandre lit a raging fire beneath the hills of Harrenhal. Queen Selyse Florent and the Queen's Men followed Melisandre in chanting, "Lord of Light, protect us, for the night is dark and full of terrors!"

The Queen's Men do not owe their allegiance to Queen Selyse Florent, but to Melisandre, Stannis's shadow queen. Even Queen Selyse herself, under Melisandre's influence, has become a fanatical believer in the Lord of Light.

Everyone knows that it is not Queen Selyse who accompanies and comforts King Stannis in the dead of night, but the Red Woman Melisandre.

Under the starlight, the thick smoke produced by the flames resembled slender fingers caressing the sky.

The blood-red gem on Melisandre's snow-white neck greedily sipped the light of the flames. The Red Woman stared at the blaze, her two blood-red eyes appearing to burn.

"Lord of Light, please guide me and let me see the path of the future."

After a long while, Melisandre finally moved her eyes away from the flames; her face was clearly filled with fear.

Stannis took a step forward, his jaw tight, "Melisandre, what did you see?"

Melisandre said: "I saw the Shroud Queen, exuding the scent of cold and corpses, sitting on a blood-stained throne. Her Small Council was filled with headless corpses; a storm of death crawled out of the grave, wielding a warhammer; a silver-haired, purple-eyed singer plucked a Silver Harp in the hall of the King of Ashes, and the ballad of death echoed in the castle of blood."

Stannis frowned, "What exactly do these prophecies portend?"

Melisandre said: "King's Landing is being shrouded by a mist of death; death and depravity will swallow the entire King's Landing. Your Majesty, you must not march on King's Landing for the time being."

Stannis pondered for a long while, "Do you mean that our army will encounter death and destruction at King's Landing? Now that I occupy the Crownlands, if I do not march on King's Landing, how can I win the Iron Throne?"

Melisandre smiled, "Your Majesty, in the flames, I also saw another scene. A fox wearing a garland of fresh flowers, holding grapes, roses, and apples in its mouth, won you a castle by the sea, swept by a gale."

The Onion Knight Davos muttered: "Storm's End?"

Melisandre said: "Yes, Your Majesty is about to win the support of Storm's End and the entire Stormlands."

Queen Selyse said piously: "Your Majesty, the sigil of our House Florent is precisely the garlanded fox. Our house is loyal to you, and House Florent will win the Stormlands for you."

Melisandre lowered her voice, "Your Majesty, in the flames I also saw a man with a wolf's head riding a Magic Dragon, destroying one castle after another. This person is clearly the Wolf King Eddard. Your Majesty must not ignore the threat of the Wolf King Eddard; you can take action when necessary."

Stannis gave a cold hum, "Woman, you have taken action, but the result was failure. Forget about the Wolf King Eddard for now! I must deal with Renly Baratheon and the Lannisters."

Melisandre led the crowd away. Before the campfire, only Davos and Stannis remained.

Stannis said: "Davos, what do you think of Melisandre's prophecy?"

Davos said disdainfully: "It is nothing but playing at gods and ghosts! Your Majesty, King's Landing is currently suffering from a severe shortage of grain, and a riot occurred just a few days ago. The main force of the Lannisters is far away in the Westerlands and the Riverlands. King's Landing is now within reach. Our army can attack King's Landing from both land and Blackwater Bay, and we can take it in one go to eradicate the Lannisters who stole the Iron Throne. Abandoning King's Landing to contend with Renly Baratheon for the Stormlands is not wise."

Stannis said: "I know you do not like Melisandre, but this woman does indeed have power. I could attack King's Landing, but the Lannisters have hidden too many mercenaries in King's Landing: the Lannister guards in red cloaks and lion helms, as well as the expanded Gold Cloaks. These Gold Cloaks, Red Cloaks, and mercenaries, added together, exceed twenty thousand men."

"The enemy outnumbers us, but fortunately, King's Landing lacks grain. A city with a population of five hundred thousand, without food, how long can it hold out? I only need to besiege the city for another month, and King's Landing will fall without a fight. Let the Imp, Joffrey Baratheon, and Cersei rot in King's Landing!"

"I am going to win Storm's End and the Stormlands, to win what rightfully belongs to me by right. Let Renly Baratheon be intoxicated in the rose bushes of the Reach!"

In the Reach, at Old Oak, Renly Baratheon, with sunken eye sockets and smelling of alcohol, finally convened his first war council since his crushing defeat in the Westerlands.

Ever since the rout at Crakehall Forest, Renly Baratheon had become completely decadent. Every day he locked himself in his room, drinking and praying with the Knight of Flowers, Loras. Brienne stood guard outside the door, sometimes able to hear the King's soft sobbing.

Many of King Renly Baratheon's Rainbow Guard were injured in that battle, but fortunately, no one died. What Renly Baratheon found hard to accept was that many young squires and knights he knew had died in that brutal midnight raid.

Before the expedition, Renly Baratheon boasted that he was a more brilliant commander than Robert Baratheon or Stannis, and that the iron-clad steel fist of the Reach would easily sweep through the Westerlands. As it turned out, the experienced Duke Tywin, Earl Roland Crakehall, and the valiant Kingslayer Jaime taught Renly Baratheon a lesson together. War was not as fun as Renly Baratheon had imagined.

Fortunately, with the day and night companionship of the Knight of Flowers, Loras, Renly Baratheon gradually pulled himself together.

The war council was held in the study at Old Oak. Earl Randyll Tarly of Horn Hill and Earl Mathis Rowan of Goldengrove sat on either side of King Renly Baratheon. The slender and petite Countess Aven Oakheart sat opposite King Renly Baratheon. The bench to the side was crowded with nobles and knights of the Reach.

Renly Baratheon signaled the squire to the side to pour wine. Earl Randyll Tarly stopped him, saying: "Your Majesty, you cannot drink any more. It is wartime, and you need a clear head."

Renly Baratheon insisted on a cup of Plum Wine. He downed it in one gulp, his face full of fatigue.

"Drinking makes me feel at ease. That crushing defeat in the Westerlands still haunts me to this day."

Randyll Tarly frowned, "Your Majesty, there is nothing to dwell on regarding a defeat in the first expedition, especially since the opponents were such fierce generals as Tywin, Jaime, and Roland Crakehall. On the battlefield, where is there an undefeated general?"

Countess Aven Oakheart chimed in: "Indeed, Your Majesty, we can use the next victory to wash away the humiliation of the previous defeat. Victory will surely belong to you."

Earl Mathis Rowan said: "Your Majesty, we have received news that Lannisport has been attacked by the Iron fleet, which proves that the Iron Islands have likely declared war on the Westerlands."

Randyll Tarly said: "Lannisport is the heart of the Westerlands. That it has been attacked proves that the Westerlands are vulnerable. Our army should immediately reorganize and attack Crakehall."

Renly Baratheon smiled nervously, "We just returned from a crushing defeat at Crakehall. Tywin is cunning by nature. I think the attack on Lannisport is most likely a lie fabricated by Tywin to lure me into advancing. I will not be fooled. Our army was badly defeated in the last battle and needs to rest and regroup."

Randyll Tarly said gloomily, "Your Majesty, the main force of the Westerlands is still in the Riverlands. The Northern Army will soon unite with the Riverlands, making it impossible for the Westerlands army to move an inch in the Riverlands. It would be a great pity if our army missed the opportunity to seize the Westerlands."

Renly Baratheon sipped his wine, "Then wouldn't it be better to wait until the Northern Army defeats the Lannisters in the Riverlands before I advance into the Westerlands? Don't forget, Earl Alester Florent is leading the Reach army toward King's Landing. Once they reach the gates of King's Landing, the nobles of the Stormlands will join Earl Alester's ranks."

"Once King's Landing falls, the Lannisters of the Westerlands will surely be terrified. At that time, it will be when we lead our army to destroy the Westerlands and wash away our shame."

Mathis Rowan wanted to say something but stopped.

Renly Baratheon waved his hand to dismiss the meeting. The nobles dispersed one after another, leaving only Mathis Rowan, Randyll Tarly, Brienne, and the Knight of Flowers in the room.

Earl Mathis Rowan said: "Your Majesty, Earl Alester Florent, as the commander of the Eastern Army, is a huge hidden danger. This man is a relative of Stannis. Many of Alester's brothers and nephews are serving Stannis on Dragonstone. Will he defect when he reaches the gates of King's Landing?"

Renly Baratheon said: "How is that possible? My old brother Stannis cannot win anyone's love. Besides, Brightwater Keep is next to Highgarden. If Earl Alester defects, his castle and lands would be stripped by me in the blink of an eye. Only a fool would do such a thing."

"Besides, Earl Alester's deputy is Earl Bryce Caron, who is a great lord of the Stormlands. With him by Earl Alester's side, Earl Alester will surely be loyal."

Randyll Tarly thought for a moment, "Your Majesty, since you put on the crown, you have remained in the Reach, far from the Stormlands. Stannis's Dragonstone, however, is adjacent to the Stormlands. How can you guarantee that these Stormlands nobles are loyal? Although Stannis is cold and ruthless and not loved by nobles or commoners, legally speaking, he does indeed have the right of inheritance to the Stormlands and Storm's End."

Renly Baratheon revealed a confident smile, "I grew up in Storm's End. The Acting Castellan of Storm's End, Sir Cortnay Penrose, is loyal to me. The people and nobles of the Stormlands all like me, so don't you worry."

Mathis Rowan persisted, "Your Majesty, you grew up in Storm's End, didn't Stannis do the same? I think the best way is to order the Stormlands nobles to send their wards to Highgarden to serve as squires and cupbearers in Your Majesty's court, and to encourage intermarriage between the nobles of the Stormlands and the Reach. In this way, the Stormlands nobles will be devoted to Your Majesty."

Renly Baratheon shook his head, "There is no need at all. I rely on personal charisma and sincerity to win the support of the nobles; I don't need that ward trick. If I take the Stormlands nobles as wards, tomorrow someone will tell me that I should take the Reach nobles as wards. What is the point?"

"I am not the Wolf King Eddard, taking in a bunch of wards."

At the Moon Gate beneath the Eyrie, Eddard officially took Robin Arryn as his ward, and the Goat Girl Gisella brought Mya Stone.

The fertile Vale thus fell into Eddard's hands. Littlefinger had calculated everything, caused the death of Jon Arryn, and even tried to manipulate Lysa to control the Vale through Robin Arryn, but ended up having the fruits of victory easily stolen by Eddard.

The submission of the Vale was due to the dragons, the giant eagles, the rich and powerful North, and even more so, the Wolf King Eddard himself.

In just a few short years, Eddard had conquered the Rockborn of Skagos and the Wildlings Beyond the Wall. The North possessed a brutal legion composed of giants, skinchangers, Magic Dragons, mammoths, Terrorbirds, bears, and giant eagles, as well as a powerful fleet and Wolf Castles everywhere.

After King Robert Baratheon died, Westeros fell into pieces and collapsed; in such chaotic times, relying on Lysa and her son Robin Arryn, the Vale could never become the victor of the war.

The Vale borders the North and the Riverlands, House Stark is Lysa's kin, and the relationship between Eddard and Duke Jon Arryn was extraordinary; during the war, the North and the Riverlands could well provide protection for the Vale, and the Vale could also use the Riverlands and the strength of the Vale to contend for the world and share the fruits of victory in the world outside the Vale.

Bronze Yohn and other Vale nobles believed that following the Direwolf Banner of Eddard would lead to the final victory.

Mya Stone was sixteen, with a head of jet-black hair that was unevenly cut, eyes like deep blue lakes, and she wore leather clothes and breeches. She was the bastard daughter of King Robert Baratheon and had been serving Baron Nestor Royce at the Moon Gate, responsible for leading mules and guiding people along the mountain paths between the Eyrie and the Moon Gate.

Near the Eyrie, many people knew that Mya Stone was the bastard daughter of King Robert Baratheon, but she herself had always been unaware; when Eddard wanted to take her as his foster daughter, Mya was greatly startled.

"Wolf Prince, I am merely a farmer's daughter; why would you want to take me as your foster daughter?"

Eddard said, "Because your father, Robert, was my good brother. Mya, you are the daughter of King Robert Baratheon; from now on, if you follow me, you will never have to worry about food or clothing."

Mya was somewhat shocked, "I remember when I was small, my father was a burly man who liked to lift me above his head and let out thunderous laughter. Could he be King Robert Baratheon?"

At the Moon Gate, there were more than forty other noble children from all over the Vale who, along with Mya and sweet Robin, had been taken as foster children by Eddard. With foster children in his hands, Eddard could better ensure the loyalty of the Vale nobles.

Subsequently, Eddard convened a meeting of the Vale nobles in the great hall of the Moon Gate in his capacity as Regent of the Vale, Warden of the East, and Protector of the Vale.

"Bronze" Yohn Royce of Runestone, Lady Anya Waynwood of Ironoaks, Earl Horton Redfort of Redfort, Ser Raymond Templeton of Nine Star, Baron Nestor Royce the Guardian of the Moon Gate, the white-haired Earl Eon Hunter of Longbow Hall, and Benedar Belmore of Strongsong were all present.

These people were the earliest Vale nobles to support Eddard and would be the core team for Eddard in the Vale of Arryn in the future.

Eddard said, "My lords, you have successfully snatched Duke Robin Arryn from the hands of the schemer Littlefinger. You have saved the bloodline of Jon Arryn. I announce the forfeiture of the fief and title of Petyr Baelish, Littlefinger, in the Vale."

The fief of Petyr Baelish was located on the smallest peninsula of the Five Fingers, a desolate seaside area with jagged rocks, and was a small village. Such a fief was not worth mentioning, but without the fief, Littlefinger became a noble with only a title.

"Bronze" Yohn said, "Wolf Prince, if Littlefinger dares to appear in the Vale in the future, we will certainly kill him to avenge Jon Arryn. Now, the Riverlands are at war, and the Vale is willing to follow the Direwolf to fight against the Lannister or anyone who usurps the throne. May I ask, how many troops does the Wolf Prince wish for the Vale to send?"

Eddard thought for a moment, "I think the Vale should establish a standing army, just like the Winter Wolves of the North."

Lady Anya Waynwood frowned and said, "A standing army? Wolf Prince, a standing army costs a lot of money! This is a huge expense."

Eddard said calmly, "Rest assured, the expenses for the Vale's standing army will be borne by me alone. I have already thought of the name; it shall be called the Chick Eagle Army."

"Bronze" Yohn said excitedly, "Good! Since the Wolf Prince promises to cover the expenses of the Chick Eagle Army, what else do we have to worry about? The Chick Eagle Army will surely be able to become the Wolf Prince's ace legion alongside the Winter Wolves."

Eddard said, "The Chick Eagle Army will recruit both nobles and commoners. The second sons of noble families can directly serve in the Chick Eagle Army, and in the future, they can obtain fiefs if they earn military merit."

The other nobles were also very happy, and Earl Horton Redfort said excitedly, "The Chick Eagle Army symbolizes the protection of Duke Robin Arryn and also symbolizes the growing Vale army that follows the Wolf Prince. In the future, the Vale and the North will be inseparable."

Nowadays, relying on the Black Truffle, Maple Syrup, Glass Pane, Wood Carving, Foie Gras, Caviar, dyed wool clothing, and Tobacco from the North, Eddard had accumulated a vast amount of wealth; not only had he paid off the debts to the Iron Bank, but countless Gold Dragons were continuously pouring into Winterfell.

Eddard won the championship at the Wolf King Celebration Tourney and easily won a prize of tens of thousands of Gold Dragons. Now that it is wartime, after the establishment of the Chick Eagle Army, they can head directly to the battlefield, and by relying on war plunder, Eddard can obtain more wealth; after all, making money through war is faster than making money through farming.

The Chick Eagle Army is paid by Eddard, so their object of allegiance is not House Arryn, but Eddard's private armed force; this legion will be composed of commoners and nobles from the Vale, and in Eddard's plan, it will be stationed in various parts of the Vale in the future.

Having titles like Protector of the Vale, Regent of the Vale, and Warden of the East alone was simply not enough for Eddard to rule the Vale. Only by having Eddard station troops in the Vale would the Vale firmly follow House Stark and Eddard.

The current Eddard had already won the support of the Mountain Clans, and with the addition of the Chick Eagle Army loyal to Eddard, it was even more perfect.

Subsequently, Eddard's gaze rested on Baron Nestor Royce.

"Baron Nestor, you have served as the Guardian of the Moon Gate for many years, and during the period when Jon Arryn went to King's Landing to serve as Hand of the King for King Robert Baratheon, you served as the High Steward of the Vale, working diligently. I need to go to the Riverlands to fight, and in the future, you will continue to serve as the High Steward of the Vale. At the same time, I appoint you as the Acting Castellan of the Eyrie."

Baron Nestor Royce accepted the appointment with gratitude. Baron Nestor Royce's title was very low; the Royce House of the Moon Gate was a distant relative of the Royce House of Runestone, and Baron Nestor's title, fief, and influence were far inferior to his relative Bronze Yohn.

He had no powerful family to support him, was loyal and reliable, and worked diligently, making him the perfect candidate for High Steward of the Vale and Acting Castellan of the Eyrie.

Bronze Yohn said, "Wolf Prince, the House Grafton of Gulltown, the House Corbray of Heart's Home, the Mallister House of Old Anchor, and the Lynderly House of Snakewood attempted to gather troops to snatch Duke Robin; these people are likely accomplices of Littlefinger in the Vale, and the Wolf Prince must not let them off easily!"

Eddard said, "These families did not actually send troops. Lady Lysa was momentarily deluded by Littlefinger; she issued the wrong call to her vassals, and that is why the vassals made the wrong decision. I will forgive them this time."

"However, I will station troops in Gulltown and at the same time require House Grafton, the Mallister House, the Lynderly House, and the House Corbray to send their foster children. I will help the Vale build a powerful navy to protect Gulltown and the coastline of the Vale. Once the Vale follows me and wins the war, I will make the Vale as wealthy as the North."

Farming in the Vale is much better than in the North; at least the sunlight here is more abundant.

Bronze Yohn said excitedly, "With a powerful fleet, plus the Winter Wolves and the Chick Eagle Army, I believe no enemy can break through the Vale."

Eddard placed his hand on Bronze Yohn's shoulder, "The work of selecting and managing the Chick Eagle Army is left to you."

Bronze Yohn was the key ally for Eddard to enter the Eyrie and the Vale, and his performance deserved to be rewarded. Being able to serve as the commander of the Chick Eagle Army made Bronze Yohn very satisfied, and he accepted the appointment with a grateful face. As Eddard's private troops, Bronze Yohn would become Eddard's deputy in this legion in the future.

After the meeting ended, the nobles dispersed one after another, and only Bronze Yohn and Eddard remained in the great hall of the Moon Gate.

Bronze Yohn lowered his voice, "Wolf Prince, your title is already at the level of a prince, and you are only one step away from being a king. House Stark has been the King in the North since ancient times; now, with the war of the kings in Westeros, three kings have appeared. You have the support of the North, Beyond the Wall, the Riverlands, and the Vale; why not crown yourself king?"

"In my opinion, you are at least qualified to wear the three crowns of King of the Vale, King in the North, and King of the Trident."

Eddard said, "A true king does not lack that crown."

Rashly wearing the crown would invite the hostility of Stannis, Renly Baratheon, and the Lannister; Eddard would rather delay the time of proclaiming himself king.

As long as the legions and Magic Dragon in his hands are strong enough, proclaiming himself king is only a matter of time.

Furthermore, Eddard could not ignore the threat of the Undead.

On the summit of the Giant's Lance, the most famous mountain in the Vale, Eddard's giant eagle and Magic Dragon discovered seven neatly placed skulls, emitting a cold chill, with blue light radiating from their hollow eye sockets.

The summit of the Giant's Lance is thousands of feet above the ground, and the waterfall Alyssa's Tears flows straight down from the top; a normal person would never climb to such a high place. Who exactly placed the skulls on the summit?

Is this a naked threat or some kind of dark ritual? There are seven skulls in total; does this have a special meaning? The number seven is a sacred number in the Faith of the Seven; the Vale is one of the regions where the Andals first landed in Westeros, and on many rocks on the Five Fingers of the Vale, one can still see the Seven-Pointed Star engraved on the stones when the Andal adventurers landed in the Vale back then.

Eddard suspected that the seven skulls on the Giant's Lance were the work of someone like the necromancer Ogbeta.

Although the Undead cannot cross the Wall, necromancers like Ogbeta belong to fallen humans and servants who serve the cold god; it is entirely possible for necromancers to come to the regions south of the Wall.

The azure light in the hollow eyes of the skulls reminded Eddard of the Wight Wheat in the caves of Winterfell and reminded him of the Undead Beyond the Wall.

However, the Magic Dragon seemed to like these skulls very much; he sprayed orange-yellow, scorching Dragonfire at the skulls, the azure light in the hollow eye sockets disappeared, and the entire skull emitted a light like a Sapphire.

At this moment, the voice of the Green Seer Three-Eyed Crow came from the Weirwood Bracelet on Eddard's wrist.

"Eddard, these are the Dark Artifacts of the necromancer; the Dragonfire has already purified a part of them. You can absorb the Natural Force and then use the Weirwood Bracelet to perform a thorough purification."

"After the purification is complete, you will get a Skull Bracelet, which can help you become familiar with the dark tricks of the necromancer. The more you know your enemy, the more you can defeat your enemy."

Eddard absorbed the Natural Force of the Vale, and he used his mind to concentrate the Natural Force on the Weirwood Bracelet on his wrist. Beams of white light from the Weirwood Bracelet struck the skulls, and a strange thing happened: these skulls began to shrink, eventually forming a Skull Bracelet.

With the Skull Bracelet, could Eddard practice necromancy in the future? Eddard had always dreamed of having an army of the Undead; Wights move slowly, but they do not know fatigue and do not need to eat or drink. Once he could control Wights, Eddard's workshops could have the cheapest labor force, and production costs would be compressed to the extreme.

Perhaps Eddard could build his own undead legion in the future; why not?

Walk the path of the Night King, and leave the Night King with nowhere to go.

Outside the Moon Gate, Eddard and Bronze Yohn looked at the dense camps of the Vale army under the Eyrie, and Eddard said, "Bronze Yohn, select the young, strong, and brave soldiers from the Vale army and incorporate them into the Chick Eagle Army; a Chick Eagle Army composed of twenty thousand warriors of the Vale will suffice."

"After the reorganization of the Chick Eagle Army is complete, bring them to Harrenhal to participate in the war in the Riverlands."

Bronze Yohn said: "Wolf Prince, I know all the famous canyon knights and warriors of the Vale, and I am very familiar with the training status of the soldiers in each castle. The work of organizing the Chick Eagle Army can be completed in a few days. Why don't you, Wolf Prince, join me in selecting the soldiers and commanders, and then we can lead the troops to Harrenhal together."

Eddard said: "I want to go to Gulltown to take a look."

Bronze Yohn said worriedly: "Count Gerold Grafton of Gulltown holds heavy troops and has not sworn allegiance to you, Wolf Prince. If you intend to go to Gulltown, I request to lead a large army to follow you; only then will Gerold Grafton dare not act rashly."

Eddard said: "I have already ordered Ser Wendel of White Harbor to lead more than thirty Northern rowing warships and galleons to wait at the port of Gulltown. I will take the giant eagles and the magic dragon with me; Count Gerold Grafton will not dare to act rashly."

Subsequently, Eddard summoned Countess Maege Mormont, Roose Bolton, and other Northern nobles, ordering them to take Lysa, Robin Arryn, Mya Stone, and the more than forty wards offered by the Vale nobles to be settled at Harrenhal.

That evening, Eddard rode a giant eagle, accompanied by the magic dragon, Prince of Giant Eagles Michu, and Giant Eagle Princess Bessa, flying south toward Gulltown. The Vale army let out bursts of screams and cheers, seeing off the departure of the Wolf King Eddard.

Under the cover of dark clouds, the night sky was pitch black. At Riverrun, Brynden Tully and Robb commanded the Riverlands and Northern armies, boarding barges and river warships to cross the majestic Tumblestone River.

From the first day of the attack, Riverrun had opened its sluice gates, and the moat, the Red Fork, and the Tumblestone River had turned Riverrun into an isolated island in the water. The Westerlands Army could only set up camp to the west of the moat.

Because the moat was too wide, the catapults of the Westerlands could not reach the city walls, and they were unable to force a crossing. Tywin had no choice but to leave five thousand men to continue guarding outside Riverrun, while he led the Westerlands Army to sweep through the territories of House Vance and House Piper.

The commander of the Westerlands Army was Patrek Lannister, who was a cousin of Tywin Lannister. Because the besieging Westerlands army had gone too long without a battle, both soldiers and nobles were very lax.

The sentries of the Westerlands saw the Northern and Riverlands armies crossing the river, but before they could blow their horns, they were shot dead by Domeric with an arrow. Grey Wind jumped from the boat onto the shore first, biting open the throat of a soldier.

The soldiers on the tower blew their horns and ordered arrows to be fired. The next second, the screams of giant eagles came from the air. The warriors of the Giant Eagle Tribe, riding giant eagles, dove down from the sky, grabbed two crossbowmen, and threw them into mid-air. One crossbowman was pierced to death by deer antlers, and the other fell into the river, only to be stepped to death by a giant as soon as he swam up.

The Westerlands soldiers, startled from their sleep, hurriedly put on their armor to meet the enemy. As soon as they walked out of the camp, their heads were smashed by the snow bear of Varamyr Sixskins. Varamyr rode on the back of the snow bear, followed by three wild wolves and a shadowcat. Giant King Mag, wielding an ironwood stump as a weapon, smashed the surrounding Westerlands knights like he was playing whack-a-mole.

The warriors of the Raptor Tribe, riding on terrorbirds stronger than rhinoceroses, charged recklessly. The beaks of the terrorbirds were like battering rams, easily shattering the skulls beneath the armor.

Tigris's saber-toothed tiger easily bit through the breastplate of a soldier wearing the crest of House Lydden. The King-Beyond-the-Wall, Tormund Giantsbane, Harma Dogshead, and Alfyn Crowkiller—these fierce generals of the Winter Wolves—were all like hungry wolves slaughtering into a flock of sheep, cutting down every enemy.

Sir Edmure, on the city walls, was also stunned to see the giant eagles, terrorbirds, mammoths, giants, and unicorns among the reinforcements.

Edmure muttered: "Is this Eddard's army from Beyond the Wall? This is too brutal."

Captain of the Guard Sir Robin Ryger said: "These are the reinforcements from the North. In the firelight, I also saw the banners of House Frey, House Mallister, and House Dormer. The reinforcements from the North and the Riverlands have arrived. Sir Edmure, hurry out of the city to engage!"

Edmure immediately lowered the drawbridge and led the knights of Riverrun to sally forth.

Seeing that the Westerlands Army was defeated like a collapsing mountain, Patrek Lannister could only lead the remnants to flee toward Golden Tooth in the Westerlands.

The battlefield was littered with the corpses of Westerlands soldiers. The coalition of the North and the Riverlands also captured a large amount of armor, weapons, supplies, and grain, all of which were transported to Riverrun.

Inside Riverrun, Lord Hoster embraced Robb with excitement.

"Robb, you were born in Riverrun, and now you have finally come home. With the Winter Wolves, the trout no longer need to fear the lion."

On a sunny morning, Eddard arrived at Grafton Castle in Gulltown.

Grafton Castle was the largest castle in Gulltown. In the courtyard stood seven huge statues of the Seven. The main body of the castle was as white as a seagull, with seven towers connected together. Each tower was fashioned in the likeness of one of the Seven, divided into the Father Tower, the Mother Tower, the Smith Tower, the Maiden Tower, the Crone Tower, the Warrior Tower, and the Stranger Tower.

Inside, the Father Tower was where the lord lived, the Maiden Tower was occupied by the lord's children, the Mother Tower was where the guest rooms were located, the Smith Tower was the location of the smithy, the Warrior Tower was the location of the barracks and armory, the Crone was the location of the kitchen, and the Stranger Tower was the prison and interrogation room.

When the guards of Grafton Castle saw the dozens of giant eagles and the magic dragon in the sky, they immediately panicked. Eddard landed directly in the courtyard.

Ser Wendel of White Harbor and Count Gerold Grafton hurried out to welcome him. Eddard also met an unexpected guest here, namely the Red Viper, Prince Oberyn of Dorne.

It turned out that Prince Doran, the ruler of Dorne, had refused to ally with the North after receiving Eddard's letter, declining to send troops to crusade against the Lannisters.

This infuriated the Red Viper, Prince Oberyn, because Prince Oberyn had always dreamed of avenging his sister, Elia Martell. To oppose the Lannisters, Prince Oberyn went to Tyrosh to recruit mercenary groups to fight in the Riverlands.

The Red Viper, Prince Oberyn, recruited a total of two thousand men in Dorne, Lys, Tyrosh, and Myr, forming the "Viper Group." Oberyn personally served as the captain. Prince Oberyn purchased ships from Tyrosh, loaded the mercenaries, and sailed north along the Narrow Sea, heading toward the Riverlands.

When Prince Oberyn's fleet arrived at Crab Bay, they happened to encounter the Northern East Coast Fleet blockading Gulltown, so the ten ships under Prince Oberyn joined the blockade of Gulltown.

Gerold Grafton had originally wanted to support Lysa in the civil strife of the Vale to seize political capital. He did not expect that the ships of the North and Dorne would arrive at his doorstep. Gerold Grafton was instantly thrown into disarray. He personally stepped out to invite Ser Wendel of White Harbor and Prince Oberyn to be guests at Grafton Castle.

Now, the Wolf King Eddard had arrived in Gulltown in person. Looking at the giant eagles and the magic dragon, and then thinking of the Northern fleet and the Dornish ships anchored in the port, Count Gerold Grafton was both shocked and afraid.

Count Gerold said: "Wolf Prince, I have no intention of being an enemy of the North."

Eddard said: "I have taken my nephew, Lord Robin Arryn, as my ward. I am now the Regent of the Vale and the Lord Protector. More than forty nobles of the Vale, both large and small, have already sent their wards to me. Bronze Yohn and many nobles support me in forming the Chick Eagle Army in the Vale and support my rule over the Vale."

"Count Gerold Grafton, you are the Count of Gulltown and hold a high status in the Vale. Many people say that you are a friend of Littlefinger. Is that so?"

Sweat broke out on Count Gerold Grafton's face. "Absolutely not. I only met Littlefinger when he was a customs officer in Gulltown years ago. Later, when he became the Master of Coin in King's Landing, he always planted his own people in the customs to squeeze money from the Gulltown customs. I hate him very much. I am not familiar with him at all."

Eddard said: "I ask you, do you support my rule over the Vale, or do you oppose it?"

Gerold Grafton lowered his head and said: "Of course I support it. In fact, I have always longed for the Vale to enter the war and join the side of Stark!"

If Gerold Grafton dared to oppose him at this moment, he would not only offend Eddard and the North, but also offend the neighbors of the Vale. Although House Grafton was on par with House Royce of Runestone, it could not afford to provoke the nobles across the Vale.

Eddard placed his hand on Gerold Grafton's shoulder. "Count Gerold, I know you are a smart man. In times of chaos, a noble choosing the wrong side is the most fatal thing. For example, during Robert Baratheon's rebellion, your father, Count Marq Grafton, insisted on supporting the Mad King Aerys and opposing Lord Jon Arryn. As a result, Robert Baratheon killed Marq on the walls of Gulltown, and House Grafton suffered heavy losses and gained no benefits after the war."

"This time, Gulltown following the direwolf will surely be the final winner in the game of thrones."

Count Gerold Grafton said: "I will fully support your rule over the Vale, Wolf Prince. I am willing to send a son to be a ward by your side and dispatch two thousand soldiers to join the Chick Eagle Army."

Eddard said: "Only two thousand?"

Count Gerold Grafton said: "Four thousand. I am mainly worried that Gulltown will be attacked by enemies. After all, there are more than one hundred thousand residents in my city!"

Eddard said: "Rest assured, the Northern fleet will be stationed in Gulltown in the future. In the future, the safety of the city will be protected by the Stark Fleet. I want to replace all the customs personnel with those I designate."

Count Gerold Grafton hurriedly agreed.

Every winter, when heavy snow blocks the mountains, Gulltown becomes an important passage for the Vale to the outside world. Large ships can only go through Gulltown because there are too many reefs on the east coast of the Vale, and there are no good ports for large ships to dock.

Gulltown is an important port connecting King's Landing, White Harbor, the Riverlands, Pentos, Braavos, and the Three Daughters. As a city, it has a large population, developed handicrafts, and sufficient labor. In the future, Gulltown will play an important role in Eddard's plan.

Once Eddard controls Gulltown, the only city in the Vale, it will be easier to control the economy and military of the Vale.

The Red Viper, Prince Oberyn, witnessed the entire conversation between Eddard and Count Gerold Grafton. After Count Gerold left, Oberyn smiled wickedly: "Wolf Prince, you handled a big city with ease, that's truly amazing! However, compared to your feat of conquering the Vale, Gulltown seems to pale in comparison."

Eddard touched Prince Oberyn's arm with his hand. "Compared to the great Red Viper, what is all this? I am very happy that you can come to the Riverlands to fight. 'The warriors of Dorne are as numerous as the sand, and only this man is the best in the world'—isn't that talking about you?"

Prince Oberyn said: "The coalition of the Vale, the North, and the Riverlands is killing Lannisters in the Riverlands; Stannis is in the Crownlands, killing Lannisters; Renly Baratheon is in the Westerlands, killing Lannisters. My older brother, Prince Doran, refuses to send troops, so I have no choice but to form a mercenary group. Otherwise, if the Lannisters are all dead before I get my revenge, how can that be?"

Protected by one thousand cavalry, Stannis bypassed King's Landing from the west and headed south along the Kingsroad. They entered the Stormlands and arrived at the place where the Rose Road and the Kingsroad intersected.

This was the camp of the coalition of the Reach and the Stormlands. They originally belonged to Renly Baratheon, but because Count Alester Florent, who commanded the Reach army, defected to Stannis at the last minute, the Stormlands army and the Reach army all betrayed Renly Baratheon and defected to Stannis.

In the camp, the fox and flower banners of House Florent could be seen everywhere.

"A fox wearing a wreath, holding an apple and grapes, brings the Stormlands to His Majesty." The Red Woman had predicted this scene in the flames, and now it had indeed come true.

The Onion Knight Davos and the Red Woman Melisandre walked on the left and right sides of Stannis.

Count Alester Florent, dressed in a brocade robe, led a group of Stormlands nobles and knelt before Stannis. Count Alester said: "Your Majesty, Renly Baratheon usurped the throne and proclaimed himself king, and we were forced to submit to him. However, we have always hoped that His Majesty Stannis would lead an army to liberate us from the tyranny of Renly Baratheon. Now, this day has finally arrived."

Stannis waved his hand for everyone to rise; Earl Halleck of Greenstone stepped forward. He was over eighty years old and was the maternal grandfather of Stannis and Renly.

Earl Halleck said, "Stannis, as the maternal grandfather to both you and Renly, I do not wish to see you and Renly kill each other. After Robert died, the Stormlands and Storm's End belonged to you by right. You should lead the lords of the Stormlands to oppose the Lannister, not engage in infighting with Renly."

Stannis kept a stiff face, "Grandfather, as long as Renly renounces the crown, I can forgive him. However, if he is foolish enough to lead the rebels of The Reach to attack Storm's End, I will have no choice but to destroy him."

In the camp, Davos saw the wheat straw sigil of the Selmy House of Harvest Hall, the brass buckle sigil of the Buckler House of Bronzegate, the green sea turtle sigil of the Florent House of Greenstone, the great whirlpool sigil of the Wylde House of Rain House, the black-and-white swan sigil of the Swann House of Stonehelm, the black nightingale sigil of the Caron House of Nightsong, the griffin sigil of the Connington House of Griffin's Roost, the spruce and crescent moon sigil of the Fell House of Felwood, and so on.

The Tarth House of Evenfall Hall was not there, nor was the Dondarrion House of Blackhaven, but ninety percent of the Stormlands nobility had arrived.

At the beginning, when Renly usurped the throne and went to The Reach, Stannis had sent envoys to seek the support of the Stormlands nobility, but these nobles had one after another refused to support Stannis; Davos had been one of those envoys at the time. Now, the Stormlands nobility seemed to be changing kings.

Davos had heard that Renly had just suffered a defeat in the Westerlands, while Stannis had won a series of victories in the Crownlands; perhaps the nobles of the Stormlands were beginning to realize that while Renly was indeed all smiles and amiable, he was completely incapable of fighting a war.

Driven by the open defection of the Florents, the Stormlands nobility immediately remembered that Stannis was the rightful Heir to Storm's End and the Stormlands.

Not all the Stormlands nobility had betrayed Renly; the commander of the Stormlands army, Ser Cortnay Penrose, was loyal to Renly, but the moment the mutiny occurred, he was bound by the soldiers and became a prisoner.

Stannis looked at Cortnay Penrose, "Ser Cortnay, you are the Acting Castellan of my brother Renly's Storm's End; are you willing to surrender?"

Cortnay looked at the Florents and the Stormlands nobles with contempt, "I am not like those hypocritical fence-sitters, Stannis. I will not surrender; you may kill me if you wish."

Stannis said, "I will keep you; perhaps your esteemed King Renly will be willing to pay to ransom you."

Ser Cortnay was led away, and Stannis waved his hand, causing the crowd to disperse.

Only Davos, Stannis, and Melisandre remained.

Stannis said, "Cortnay Penrose was leading troops abroad and was captured by my army; the Acting Castellan he left at Storm's End has already surrendered to my envoys. House Baratheon's Storm's End has finally returned to my hands. This could not have been done without the maneuvering of Earl Alester Florent; he is very familiar with the game of thrones among the nobility."

Davos frowned, "But House Florent's Brightwater Keep borders Highgarden; if Earl Alester defects, won't his house face total annihilation?"

Stannis said, "That is why Earl Alester brought all his relatives and clansmen into this army this time. In this army from The Reach, the troops from Brightwater Keep and the Vassals under the Florents reach five thousand men. Earl Alester has decided to gamble in the game of thrones; yes, House Florent will lose Brightwater Keep, but at the same time, they have a chance to gain Highgarden."

"House Florent has always coveted Highgarden. In terms of lineage, the bloodline of House Florent is far nobler than that of House Tyrell. They have never accepted that mere stewards should govern The Reach and hold Highgarden. Moreover, for years, House Florent has been excluded from the marriages between Highgarden, the Arbor, and Oldtown, and in Renly's Small Council, Alester has also been consistently squeezed out by the nobles of The Reach."

"I have promised that once I conquer The Reach, I will let House Florent take over Highgarden and govern The Reach. The Rose family of Highgarden are nothing but stewards raised up by the Dragonlord family; now that the Targaryen Dynasty has fallen, it is time to pull the Rose up by its roots."

Davos was somewhat surprised, "Your Grace, you have been in contact with Earl Alester Florent for a long time?"

Stannis gritted his teeth, "Yes, we have always been in contact. Alester Florent is my wife's uncle, and my Acting Castellan of Dragonstone, Axell Florent, is Earl Alester's own brother. Because of my wife, there were already dozens of people from House Florent serving me on Dragonstone."

"The foolish Renly did not foresee the danger and sent Earl Alester with a large army to attack King's Landing, so this army will ultimately fall into my hands. The Stormlands nobility were clearly slighted in Renly's Small Council; Renly thought that the Vassals of House Baratheon would just willingly support him."

Davos said, "If Renly finds out that the Stormlands have turned to our army, he will surely be furious and might bring the army of The Reach to attack."

Stannis said contemptuously, "Renly was able to get the support of The Reach largely because he was the Duke of Storm's End and Warden of the Stormlands. Now that he has lost his home, will the nobles of The Reach still foolishly support him? I highly doubt it."

"Besides, when has Renly ever won a battle? In the Westerlands, he had fierce generals like Randyll Tarly and the Knight of Flowers under his command, yet he was still beaten into a mess by Duke Tywin. Renly is nothing but a decorative pillow; he knows nothing but witty remarks and play-acting."

"Just watch! Renly will soon fall in The Reach, and the nobles of The Reach will abandon him."

"And I will conquer King's Landing and kill every Lannister in King's Landing."

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(End of chapter)