Chapter 194: The Undead Descend, the Wolf's Gathering, Magic Dragon and Griffin

Stannis's army easily occupied the southern bank of the Blackwater River, south of King's Landing, just one river away from the city.

The red priestess Melisandre ignited the night fire, the flames rising over thirty feet high, the inferno like a magic dragon licking the sky.

In the east, a bleeding star appeared, as if the sky had been torn open, trickling blood.

Queen Selyse and Melisandre, along with a crowd of followers of R'hllor, the Lord of Light, chanted in unison.

"Lord of Light, protect us! For the night is dark and full of terrors!"

Under the illumination of the flames, Melisandre's eyes were like rubies, her snow-white skin beneath her red robes radiating an alluring glow; she stared into the inferno, observing the visions within the smoke, ash, and flames.

Stannis stood on a hill not far from the fire, accompanied by the Hand of the King Lord Alester Florent, Lord Bryce Caron of Nightsong, the Onion Knight Davos Seaworth, the Heir of Weeping Town Adam Whitehead, and others.

Lord Bryce Caron was handsome, with honey-colored hair and sparse whiskers, wearing an orange silk robe with a nightingale engraved on his breastplate. The House Caron of Nightsong was one of the most powerful noble houses in the Marches; this time, three thousand men in the Stormlands army came from Nightsong.

The Reach army sent by Renly Baratheon to attack King's Landing was commanded by Lord Alester Florent, with Bryce Caron as his deputy; Bryce Caron followed Lord Alester Florent in leading the eastern army of the Reach to defect to Stannis.

Lord Alester Florent was promoted to Hand of the King by Stannis for his service, and Bryce Caron was also heavily relied upon by Stannis. Furthermore, Bryce Caron's bastard brother, Roland Storm, had always followed Stannis, and after Stannis took Storm's End, he appointed Roland Storm as Acting Castellan.

When Stannis first raised his army from Dragonstone, he had fewer than five thousand soldiers, and his territory consisted only of Massey's Hook, Dragonstone, Driftmark, Crab Isle, and other islands and peninsulas in the Narrow Sea.

Now, Stannis's army occupied most of the Crownlands, including Claw Isle, Duskendale, Rook's Rest, Stokeworth, Rosby, and Harrenhal, as well as the entire Stormlands.

During the War of the Five Kings, Stannis was the king whose territory expanded the fastest and whose military strength grew the most; Joffrey's kingdom was now reduced to only the Westerlands and King's Landing.

Thirty thousand troops camped on the southern bank of the Blackwater River, their lines stretching for dozens of miles.

On the opposite bank of the Blackwater River, King's Landing was shrouded in a layer of mist; strangely, there was not a trace of mist on the southern bank.

Lord Bryce Caron said excitedly, "Your Grace, King's Landing has become an island within the Crownlands. According to reports brought back by scouts, the city is severely short of food. Our army can attack by land and water and easily take King's Landing."

Lord Alester Florent said softly, "Your Grace, I do not think we should rush to attack King's Landing. Since the city is short of food, we should just focus on the siege. With over five hundred thousand people in King's Landing, if the commoners go hungry, they will riot sooner or later. As long as the Westerlands Army does not arrive to support the city, King's Landing will be ours for the taking."

"I surmise that the Reach lords will surely incite Renly to attack the Stormlands. Your Grace should mobilize the army to conquer the Reach first. Think about it: if the Reach and the Stormlands both pledge loyalty to Your Grace, defeating the Lannister will be within reach."

Stannis gritted his teeth, "King's Landing is a ripe fruit hanging high on the branch, waiting for me to pick it. It will not be too late to deal with Renly after I take King's Landing. I will not leave the Lannister of King's Landing at my back."

Stannis promised that once he conquered the Reach, he would grant Highgarden to Alester Florent and let House Florent govern the Reach. It seemed Alester Florent was eager to attack the Reach immediately.

Bryce Caron said, "Your Grace, Lord Beric Dondarrion of Blackhaven is serving the Wolf King Eddard at Harrenhal. The House Dondarrion of Blackhaven has ignored Your Grace's summons and has not sent a single soldier to join the Stormlands army or contribute to Your Grace's cause. This action by Lord Beric Dondarrion is nothing short of treason and must be severely punished!"

The Onion Knight Davos Seaworth listened quietly in the crowd, feeling that Bryce Caron's suggestion was driven by strong personal motives.

The House Dondarrion of Blackhaven was also a great noble house of the Marches, with lands adjacent to the House Caron of Nightsong. It was clear that Bryce Caron hoped Stannis would confiscate some of the Dondarrion lands to bestow upon Nightsong.

Stannis's jaw tightened as he looked at Lord Bryce Caron, "The Blackhaven army is not here because Lord Beric Dondarrion never supported Renly from the start. I have pardoned those Stormlands lords who supported Renly, and I will certainly not punish a Lord Beric who never supported the rebel Renly."

"There is still an advantage to keeping the Blackhaven army in the Marches; after all, the attitude of Dorne is unclear, and who knows if the Dornish might take advantage of the empty Marches to attack the Stormlands?"

Adam Whitehead of Weeping Town was a young man with brown hair and blue eyes, handsome and wearing chainmail, "Your Grace, Lord Selwyn the Evenstar of Tarth, although he responded to Your Grace's call and sent troops, his daughter, Brienne the Beauty, is still serving Renly at Highgarden. She must be severely punished!"

Stannis began to grind his teeth, "That is Brienne's personal crime; it has nothing to do with House Tarth."

This group of Stormlands lords seemed to have collectively developed amnesia after defecting to Stannis, forgetting the fact that they had once supported Renly's usurpation of the throne.

These people were actually clamoring to severely punish those who followed Renly. The Onion Knight Davos was curious: if Stannis were to severely punish every Stormlands lord who had served Renly, they would all likely have their lands reduced or lose their titles.

Melisandre came before Stannis, and Davos was surprised to see that Melisandre's forehead was covered in sweat.

Back on Dragonstone, it was rumored that Melisandre could walk through fire with ease, or even bathe in lava hot enough to melt bone in the volcanic craters of Dragonstone; the attendants all said that Lady Melisandre never sweated, except when she emerged from the King's chambers.

Now Melisandre was actually sweating, and her expression was clearly filled with fear. The Onion Knight understood: it was cold sweat.

Stannis looked at Melisandre, also looking astonished, "Your complexion is terrible, Melisandre. Tell me, what did you see in the flames?"

The blood-red ruby on Melisandre's snow-white neck sipped the moonlight, and she trembled, "Death is approaching. King's Landing has already become a city of the Undead and death. Do not lead the army to attack until you are fully prepared."

Stannis frowned, "What exactly did you see in the flames?"

In Melisandre's eyes, the flames were fierce, "I saw a Queen wearing a shroud, with golden hair and green eyes, sitting on the Iron Throne. The army of the Undead knelt before her, swearing their allegiance."

"I saw the dead Stag crawl out of its grave, and a storm of death sweeping across the land; a Prince with silver hair and purple eyes played a dirge for the Undead on a skeleton harp, and those who heard the music wept blood and fell into madness."

"I saw an evil sorcerer waving a skull scepter in a blood-red castle, using the bones of a Magic Dragon to summon a frost dragon."

The nobles all fell into silence, and the elderly Lord Halleck murmured, "May the gods have mercy."

Stannis frowned, "Melisandre, by the sound of it, are you saying all the Lannister in King's Landing are dead?"

"If the Lannister are not dead, they have turned into some kind of walking corpses." Melisandre pointed her finger at the red comet in the night sky to the east, and she said calmly, "Your Grace, do you remember the prophecy I told you?"

"After the Long Night, when the stars bleed, Azor Ahai, born amidst smoke and salt, will wield a Burning Sword to save all humanity. Your Grace, you are the reborn Azor Ahai. Now, the army of the Undead in King's Landing is your destined enemy."

Melisandre reached out her slender, soft hand and stroked the magic sword in Stannis's hand. The magic sword began to emit different colors—red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and violet—illuminating even the surrounding Blackwater River and the forest.

Stannis looked toward King's Landing on the northern bank of the Blackwater River, "Since the Undead occupy King's Landing, if it is my destiny to be Azor Ahai, I should march on King's Landing immediately."

Melisandre said, "Your Grace is indeed brave and skilled in battle, however, the living cannot fight the dead. Your Grace should unite with the Wolf King Eddard."

Stannis was very puzzled, "Woman, didn't you often warn me before that the Wolf King Eddard is the greatest threat to my unification of Westeros?"

Melisandre nodded slightly, "Indeed, the Wolf King Eddard is ambitious and is a formidable rival to Your Grace in the disputes of mortals. However, in the face of the threat from the army of the Undead and the wights, the Wolf King Eddard is an ally worth winning over. The infighting of lords and the war of kings are merely children's games compared to the battle between Life and Death, Flame and Frost, and Fire and Ice."

"The Wolf King Eddard has conquered Beyond the Wall, his legions have fought against wights and the Others, and he possesses a Magic Dragon. The Magic Dragon is a powerful weapon for humanity to defeat the Undead."

Lord Alester Florent cleared his throat, "Your Grace, there are no lies in the flames. Lady Melisandre has foreseen the danger within King's Landing; we must not take tens of thousands of troops to attack a city occupied by the Undead."

"The Wolf King Eddard occupies the North and has recently annexed the Vale; the lords of the Riverlands also obey Eddard's every command. The Wolf King Eddard has become a more powerful potential enemy than Joffrey or Renly. The best approach is to persuade the Wolf King Eddard to take the initiative to march on King's Landing."

Stannis said contemptuously, "Do you think the Wolf King Eddard is a fool? He is a Warg; naturally, he can sniff out the danger in King's Landing. I once heard Eddard mention that the Others fear Obsidian weapons and Valyrian Steel weapons, and that wights fear fire. In any case, I want every castle in the Crownlands, the Stormlands, and the islands of the Narrow Sea to prepare torches and Obsidian weapons."

"Dragonstone happens to be rich in Obsidian. I do not want the Undead to start a counterattack on my territory before my army is prepared for anything."

Melisandre said, "Your Grace, you must also be careful of the enemy in the west."

"The Stag wearing a rose is bringing an army of grapes and roses to attack the Stormlands."

Eddard rode a giant eagle, carrying the Magic Dragon and the flying wolf, and returned to the Riverlands with the Dragon Egg and Griffin Egg discovered at Griffin Peak in the Vale.

In the air, the red comet in the east was particularly conspicuous, and Eddard looked down at the Trident river beneath the giant eagle.

The Green Fork originated in the Neck, and the river carried a large amount of moss, hence the river appeared green. The most important castle on the upper reaches of the Green Fork was The Twins of House Frey at the river crossing.

The Red Fork originated in the mountains of the Westerlands, carrying a large amount of silt, which stained the river water. The castles of House Vance, Wayfarer's Rest, and Riverrun of House Tully were all located near the Red Fork.

The Blue Fork originated in the area of Sevenstreams, and its sources were all springs, hence the Blue Fork was named for its purity and brilliance.

In times of peace, the Trident and its tributaries could provide convenience for trade, transport, and travel; in times of war, they could be used for cover and attack.

After the Lannister invasion of the Riverlands, the Northern Army quickly marched to reinforce the Riverlands. At the same time, Eddard utilized his diplomatic advantage to have Renly Baratheon of the Reach attack the Westerlands and Stannis of Dragonstone attack the Crownlands, effectively pinning down the Lannisters. Once the Northern Army arrived in the Riverlands, the Lannisters were forced to withdraw their troops from the region.

Except for the territories of House Vance, House Piper, and House Tully, which bordered the Westerlands, most of the Riverlands did not encounter the flames of war.

In the past, Catelyn often complained to Eddard that the Riverlands nobility frequently paid lip service to the commands of House Tully while being evasive and stalling; the influence of House Tully in Riverrun was far inferior to the influence of House Stark in the North.

In fact, it is easy to understand: many families in the Riverlands, such as House Mooton, House Vance, House Mallister, House Blackwood, and House Bracken, had all once ruled the Riverlands in ancient times. House Tully had never been kings, only because when Aegon the Conqueror attacked Harrenhal, House Tully was the first to surrender to Aegon the Conqueror and oppose Harren the Black, which led Aegon the Conqueror to appoint House Tully as the Warden of the Riverlands.

In the Riverlands, the territory of House Tully was not the largest, the population was not the most numerous, the castle was not the largest, and their lineage was not the most ancient or noble. The Riverlands themselves had long been ruled by the King of the Storm and the King of the Iron Islands, and were internally fractured; therefore, the influence of House Tully was naturally average.

Now, taking advantage of the chaos of war, Eddard wants to bring the Riverlands under the banner of the Direwolf.

Looking down from the back of the giant eagle, Eddard saw rafts stretching for miles on the Trident, river warships and merchant ships, fertile manors along the river, and cattle and sheep on the grasslands. This was a fertile land.

In order to better govern the Trident, Eddard planned to build multiple bridges over the Green Fork, the Blue Fork, and the Red Fork to facilitate transportation.

Eddard absorbed the Natural Force of the Riverlands; he tasted the flavor of silt in the water of the Red Fork, the sweet spring water flavor of the Blue Fork, the mossy flavor of the Green Fork, as well as the taste of plump carp, trout, and the fragrance of flowers everywhere.

These three rivers are the lifeblood of the Riverlands region; the ancient kings who ruled the Riverlands were titled either "King of the Rivers and the Hills" or "King of the Trident."

Especially the Green Fork; the only ferry on the upper reaches of the Green Fork was The Twins of House Frey, the crossing, and the next ferry was the Ruby Ford crossing hundreds of miles away.

Every time the North needed to pass through The Twins to get to Riverrun, Lord Walder of The Twins always had an arrogant look on his face. Eddard had had enough; in the future, Eddard would build more bridges in the middle reaches of the Green Fork.

As for the Ruby Ford crossing, it bordered the Kingsroad and the River Road, serving as a crossroads to The Vale, the North, the Crownlands, and the Westerlands. It was right next to the town of Lord Harroway and was also very close to Saltpans, Maidenpool, and Harrenhal. Eddard intended to build a Wolf Castle at the Ruby Ford crossing and develop it into a town under the castle, or even a city, in the future.

Eddard was on the back of the giant eagle, with the Magic Dragon flying wolf following closely behind, continuing to absorb the Natural Force in the air. Suddenly, in the southwest, the Wood Force in the air was exceptionally strong. Eddard looked toward the southwest and saw a mountain peak rising from the ground, overlooking the surrounding hills and plains, covered entirely in weirwood stumps.

"High Heart." Eddard recognized this sacred site that once belonged to the Children of the Forest.

After the Andals occupied The Vale, the First Men kingdom of the Riverlands became the next target for the Andals' conquest. The First Men, who used bronze weapons, could not withstand the invaders who possessed steel weapons. The Andals swept through the Riverlands with sword and fire; their shields and breastplates were engraved with the Seven-Pointed Star, and some Andal warriors also had the Seven-Pointed Star tattooed on their bodies.

The fanatical pursuit of the faith in the Seven made the Andal warriors unable to tolerate the faith in the Old Gods; they cut down and burned every weirwood and arrived at the sacred site of the Children of the Forest, High Heart.

In the ballads, the oldest and largest weirwoods grew on High Heart, and the more than thirty weirwoods there were all engraved with human faces.

The Andal King "Kinslayer" Erreg brought the Andal army to the foot of High Heart. To protect the sacred site of the Children of the Forest, the Green Seers and Wood Dancers of the Children of the Forest summoned clouds of crows, tree-men, and packs of wolves to resist the Andal invaders.

The ballads claimed that the 777 Andal warriors under the protection of the Warrior, bathed in seven-colored rainbow light, used steel and flame to kill the Green Seers, Wood Dancers, and every animal; in the end, the corpses of the Children of the Forest and the animals were piled higher than High Heart.

Eventually, all the weirwoods on High Heart were cut down, and now only stumps remained.

However, the power of the Old Gods here remained strong; legend has it that the ghosts of the Children of the Forest still wander the mountaintop, and nearby residents avoid High Heart from afar.

Since High Heart is a sacred site of the Old Gods, could there be a Dragon Egg here? According to the words of the Green Seer, the Three-Eyed Crow, it is possible to discover Dragon Eggs in all of the Seven Kingdoms.

Eddard's first Dragon Egg was discovered in the Crypts of Winterfell in the North, which hatched the Magic Dragon flying wolf. Eddard discovered the second Dragon Egg at Griffin Peak in The Vale, and in the Riverlands, Eddard believed he would find the third Dragon Egg.

Under Eddard's control, the giant eagle flew toward High Heart. By the time they reached High Heart, it was already dark. Moonlight shone on the weirwood stumps, and Eddard's giant eagle and the Magic Dragon flying wolf landed together on the summit of High Heart.

Eddard suspected that High Heart might be the highest peak in the Riverlands; standing on the summit, the surrounding scenery was unobstructed, and the view was wide.

This place was easy to defend and hard to attack, and it was a sacred site of the Old Gods; Eddard planned to build a Wolf Castle here in the future.

"Why have you come to High Heart?" a voice came.

Eddard followed the sound and looked; it was a short, old woman with blood-red eyes, pale hair and skin, and a gaunt figure.

Eddard recognized the old woman before him, "You are the Ghost of High Heart?"

"The local folk call me that." The old woman gave a light snort, "Actually, my name is Jenny, and Jenny of Oldstones is my friend."

Eddard said, "The beauty from Oldstones who made Prince Duncan give up his right to inherit the Iron Throne?"

Jenny said, "You still haven't answered me, why exactly did you come here?"

Eddard looked around, "Are there any Dragon Eggs at High Heart?"

Jenny gave a light snort, "The weirwoods here have all been cut down; what could be hidden here? If there were Dragon Eggs, they would have been lost long ago. I tell you, High Heart has nothing but ghosts."

Eddard said, "Jenny, your Jenny has been dead for decades, and you are still wandering at High Heart; don't you feel lonely? I invite you to live at Harrenhal."

Jenny said disdainfully, "Isn't Harrenhal just like this place, full of ghosts everywhere?"

Eddard persuaded, "Harrenhal now has a great army and children; many of my wards live at Harrenhal, and there are giants, giant eagles, and magic dragons. It is next to the Isle of Faces on the Gods Eye, and there are Wood Dancers and the Green Men organization on the Isle of Faces. You will be very happy at Harrenhal."

Jenny looked at the giant eagle and magic dragon beside Eddard, and she sighed, "Living to such an old age, this is the first time I've seen a magic dragon or a giant eagle, and I haven't even seen a giant yet! Perhaps I should go with you, Wolf King Eddard."

Eddard was surprised, "You know me?"

Jenny said proudly, "What is there to be surprised about? You are a big figure, the actual ruler of the North, The Vale, and the Riverlands; you often appear in my dreams. I dream often, and my dream prophecies often come true."

Eddard was curious, "Then, can you share your dreams with me?"

A hint of terror flashed in Jenny's blood-red eyes, "I dreamed that ice covered the Iron Throne, and a cold Corpse Queen sat on the Iron Throne, with a True Dragon Prince and a death storm guarding her side."

"I dreamed of a dwarf and a spider fleeing the city of death overnight, with skeleton warriors wearing a Shroud chasing behind them."

"I dreamed of a one-eyed man with a crow standing on his shoulder; one eye was full of smiles, and the other eye was streaming blood. Three sisters were tied by him to pillars by the sea, suffering the humiliation of the one-eyed man."

"I dreamed of a beautiful young woman hatching three magic dragons in the flames, followed by an iron-blooded legion and an army of cavalry with whipping bells. These dreams are truly more terrifying than the last."

Although Jenny was not one of the Children of the Forest, she possessed the ability of the Green Dream and was a believer in the Old Gods; Eddard did not want to leave her to die alone at High Heart.

Eddard reached out his hand, "Jenny, come with me to Harrenhal! Communicate with giants, animals, and skinchangers. There, we will take care of you; you will eat the sweetest food, hear the most beautiful songs, and you will also meet new friends."

Jenny and Eddard sat on the giant eagle together, with the Magic Dragon flying wolf flying alongside.

After experiencing the feeling of flying, Jenny let out a hearty laugh, "Wolf King, to thank you for this kindness, I can tell you where there are Dragon Eggs; I often dream of that place."

Eddard was immediately interested, "Where?"

Jenny pointed to the north, so Eddard steered the giant eagle and flew toward the north, passing through a stretch of hills and plains, as Eddard looked down at the flickering candlelight of the castle below.

"This should be the Stone Hedge of Lord Jonos Bracken; could it be that there are Dragon Eggs in the castle of House Bracken?"

Jenny shook her head and continued to point north. Eddard looked ahead and saw the castle of House Blackwood at Raventree Hall in the valley. Through his extraordinary vision, Eddard saw the famous dead weirwood of Raventree Hall, which was covered with hundreds of crows.

Eddard muttered, "Could it be that there are Dragon Eggs at Raventree Hall? That makes sense; House Blackwood has always been a believer in the Old Gods."

Jenny shook her head, "The Dragon Eggs are not in the castle; they are in the wild, at Twin Peaks."

Under the moonlight, Eddard on the back of the giant eagle saw the Twin Peaks below, which were as upright as a woman's breasts.

Back then, King Aegon IV, who "conquered the Seven Kingdoms," had countless mistresses; among his noble mistresses was Miss Betha Bracken of House Bracken.

When Aegon IV toured the territory of House Bracken, he saw the shape of this mountain peak and praised it as "Betha's Twin Peaks." Later, Betha Bracken gave birth to the world-famous bastard "Bittersteel" Aegor Rivers for Aegon IV.

However, Aegon IV soon abandoned Betha Bracken; his next mistress happened to be Bracken's mortal enemy, Melissa Blackwood from House Blackwood. Melissa gave birth to the famous bastard, the Bloodraven Duke Brynden Rivers, for Aegon IV, who is the last Green Seer, the Three-Eyed Crow.

Furthermore, Aegon the Unworthy renamed "Barba's Twin Peaks" to "Melissa's Twin Peaks." To this day, the residents of the Bracken lands and the Blackwood lands call this Twin Peaks by different names, each using the name of the king's mistress who hailed from their respective house.

A giant eagle circled above the Twin Peaks; Eddard absorbed the Natural Force, and he smelled the mountain streams, rocks, fallen leaves, honey, as well as the scent of blood and fire.

Eddard steered the giant eagle to land, passed through a dense forest, and arrived before a weirwood. In the hollow of the weirwood, Eddard tore away the thick spiderwebs and found a dragon egg.

This dragon egg possessed three colors—blue, white, and green—just like the Trident of the Riverlands, with golden patterns upon it.

Back then, Aegon the Unworthy dreamed of hatching a Magic Dragon; he had once taken a wooden dragon and attempted to conquer Dorne, only to return in total defeat and become a laughingstock. It is estimated that Aegon the Unworthy never dreamed that a dragon egg would actually be hidden in his mistress's territory.

Having found the third dragon egg, once they hatched, Eddard would possess three Magic Dragons. No matter what happened in King's Landing, Eddard had the confidence to defeat his enemies.

In the secret passages of the Red Keep, Varys was dressed like a member of the Beggar Brotherhood, reeking of sweat and clad in rags.

Tyrion said nervously, "That 'Death Storm' newly recruited by Cersei never removes his mask or helmet; he never eats or drinks, never uses the latrine, wears an Antler Helm, and carries a warhammer. No matter how you look at it, he looks just like King Robert Baratheon!"

Varys lowered his voice, "King Robert Baratheon's tomb has been dug up, and the most awkward part is that the corpse inside is gone."

Tyrion shrugged, "So, we should tell the people across Westeros that the esteemed King Robert Baratheon is not dead, and they can dry their tears and welcome Robert's restoration."

Varys giggled, "People love the brave and battle-hardened Robert who frequented brothels; no one loves his corpse. No matter how cruel Joffrey Baratheon is, how heartless Stannis is, or how flamboyant Renly Baratheon is, they are all better than a corpse king!"

"That Lys singer—everyone says he looks very much like Rhaegar Targaryen." Tyrion had never seen Rhaegar Targaryen, so he was not certain.

The smile vanished from Varys's face, "I can tell you, that is Rhaegar Targaryen. He is exactly the same as Rhaegar before he set out for the Trident. I never expected the corpse to be preserved so well."

"Clearly, Cersei feels that since Rhaegar has been dead for over a decade and Robert just died, Robert has disguised himself as the Knight Death Storm, while Rhaegar has disguised himself directly as a Lys singer. Who would have thought that Prince Rhaegar would join forces with his mortal enemy Robert to protect the beautiful Queen Regent Cersei?"

"I am beginning to suspect that the likes of the Sword of the Morning and the White Bull Gerold Hightower are all going to be resurrected to guard the Queen Regent. Many new Gold Cloaks have appeared in King's Landing; these recruits are covered up tightly, and many suspect they are actually corpses. No wonder there are fewer corpses of people who starved to death in King's Landing."

Tyrion said in surprise, "Undead Gold Cloaks?"

Varys smiled bitterly, "At the very least, they don't need to eat grain, and they don't know fatigue. Now Stannis, the Wolf King Eddard, and Renly Baratheon are all going to be finished. We are even more miserable; before the enemy even arrives, we have to live among the dead."

Tyrion felt a spasm in his stomach, "When did Cersei practice Dark Magic? It is truly terrifying."

Varys said, "Queen Regent Cersei is very happy every day now with the company of Prince Rhaegar, and sometimes her boy toys, Black Kong Tabit and the flame-wielder Nurus, still have the opportunity to serve in her bed. Yesterday, Grand Maester Pycelle's maid told me that the flame-wielder Nurus went to Grand Maester Pycelle to treat frostbite; he had a layer of skin frozen off his 'thing'!"

Tyrion frowned, "You mean to say that Cersei has also become a corpse?"

Varys shrugged, "In any case, Tabit and Nurus both say that Cersei is no different from a corpse in bed. Logically speaking, a woman burning with desire should be burning hot. Alas! When it comes to such matters, how much can a eunuch understand?"

"I must go; I am going to the streets to gather information for Queen Regent Cersei."

Tyrion grabbed Varys's hand, "You aren't going to run away, are you?"

Varys smiled bitterly, "To tell the truth, I do have that intention. I hear the Others fight riding ice spiders; where is there a place for an eight-legged spider here? I suspect Littlefinger sensed that King's Landing was about to become a city of the dead, which is why he slipped away in such a hurry."

"Of course, I will still fight to the end on the walls of King's Landing for Queen Regent Cersei, for King Joffrey Baratheon, and for the kingdom. If I do not return, perhaps my corpse will become a Gold Cloak and continue to fight for the country!"

Varys disappeared into the secret passage, and Tyrion was deeply depressed; he wondered what Duke Tywin and Jaime would think if they knew of the current state of King's Landing.

Eddard and Jenny rode the giant eagle, carrying the Magic Dragon and the flying wolf, and appeared at Harrenhal on the shores of the Gods Eye.

The soldiers on the walls of Harrenhal and the soldiers in the camps outside the city let out waves of shouts and cheers when they saw the Wolf King Eddard on the back of the giant eagle.

While still in The Vale, Eddard had written to the nobles across The Vale and the Riverlands, asking them to head to Harrenhal to discuss the future path of the North, the Riverlands, and The Vale, and to witness the birth of the Magic Dragons.

The Isle of Faces in the Gods Eye was covered in weirwoods, and the power of the Old Gods in this place was unprecedentedly strong. Eddard was going to hatch his second and third Magic Dragons here.

Bronze Yohn arrived at Harrenhal with the newly formed twenty-thousand-strong Chick Eagle Army. Like the Northern Winter Wolves, this was an army that served Eddard. The nobles of The Vale and the Riverlands arrived one after another.

The more than forty noble foster sons Eddard had taken in The Vale had already arrived at Harrenhal.

Because the Northern Army and the Canyon Knights had arrived in the Riverlands to protect the Riverlands nobles and commoners from the depredations of the Lannisters, the Riverlands nobles had one after another taken the initiative to send their foster sons to Harrenhal to show favor to the Wolf King Eddard, which meant that the Riverlands nobles had already come to regard Eddard as their liege lord.

In the hall of the Kingspyre Tower at Harrenhal, Eddard met Lysa Arryn, Robin Arryn, and Catelyn.

Lysa Arryn's complexion was much better, her red hair had regained its luster, and by her side was a handsome, dashing singer who exuded the scent of cosmetics serving her; the singer's name was Marillion. It seemed that after leaving Littlefinger, Lysa Arryn had quickly found a boy toy to fill Littlefinger's place.

Eddard patted the head of the young Lord Robin Arryn, "Good Robin, is your body feeling better?"

Robin was currently nursing in the arms of the giant Xixi, and he said happily, "Much better. Every day Sansa and Arya play with me, Maester Norman gives me pills, and I drink giant's milk every day; I feel much stronger than before."

Lysa Arryn said, "The giant's milk really helped good Robin. That giant woman named Xixi just gave birth, and her milk keeps good Robin full every day. With the giant's milk, good Robin has become much stronger."

Many attendants at Harrenhal, such as Elmar Frey, envied Robin for still being able to nurse at six years old.

Catelyn hugged Lysa Arryn, "Lysa now sleeps with me every night; we are as close as we were when we were children. Littlefinger can no longer sow discord between us sisters."

Lysa Arryn rolled her eyes, "I feel sick whenever I think of Littlefinger. Thanks to Eddard, I was able to see Littlefinger's true colors."

The Riverlands nobles, The Vale nobles, and the Northern nobles who were already at Harrenhal filled Harrenhal to capacity.

The mistress of Harrenhal, Lady Shella Whent, looked at the tents covering the courtyard and said excitedly, "Since the Tourney at the False Spring, we have never had so many guests at Harrenhal."

Lord Hoster of Riverrun could not come to Harrenhal due to his health, so Riverrun sent Ser Edmure Tully to attend the assembly.

Edmure Tully hugged Lysa Arryn and Catelyn excitedly, and he told Lysa Arryn, "Sister, Father is very happy that you have come to the Riverlands. Once Riverrun is safe, Father hopes you will return to Riverrun to reunite with him."

Catelyn said, "Hasn't Riverrun been relieved?"

Edmure Tully nodded, "Robb and Uncle Brynden defeated the Westerlands Army outside Riverrun, and the Westerlands Army has also withdrawn from the territories of House Vance and House Piper that they had previously occupied. However, the main force of the Westerlands is gathered at Golden Tooth and may attack Riverrun again at any time."

"But rest assured, this time our army's strength at Riverrun has reached fifty thousand, and our force is larger than the Westerlands'. Uncle Brynden says that if the Westerlands dare to attack, our army will destroy the Westerlands Army."

Arriving with Ser Edmure Tully were his close friends Marq Piper and Karyl Vance.

Marq Piper was the eldest son and Heir of the Lord of Pinkmaiden, Clement Piper; he was strong and powerful, with a fiery temper, and wore black Plate Armor with the dancing maiden crest of House Piper on his breastplate.

As soon as he saw Eddard, Marq Piper said straightforwardly, "Wolf Prince, may I ask when you will lead the army to attack the Westerlands? The Lannisters have ravaged my lands, slaughtered my people, occupied my castle, and looted the wealth of Pinkmaiden. Our House Piper longs for revenge."

Eddard placed his hand on Marq Piper's shoulder to soothe him, "Ser Marq Piper, when the time is ripe, I will march into the Westerlands, and the Lannisters will pay the price for their actions."

Karyl Vance, standing to the side, frowned; he had a wine-red birthmark on half of his face and neck. Because his father had died in the war against the Lannisters, Karyl Vance was already the Lord of Wayfarer's Rest.

"Wolf Prince, the Allied Forces of the North and Riverlands have fifty thousand troops at Riverrun, and after the Chick Eagle Army arrives at Harrenhal, the force at Harrenhal will also be close to fifty thousand. That is a total of one hundred thousand troops; if we do not march directly, are these armies just going to sit and eat through our supplies? This will waste a lot of grain every day."

Eddard said, "I will promote military colonies in the Riverlands. Not only will the soldiers not waste grain, but they will produce even more military provisions. The military colony soldiers will farm and train in peacetime and march in wartime. In the future, with military colonies in the Riverlands, every time the Lannisters attack, they will pay a heavy price."

Hugo Vance of Atranta asked curiously, "Wouldn't military colonies cost a lot of money?"

Eddard smiled, "In the future, with the Riverlands and The Vale following me, we will surely be rich as oil; money will not be a problem at all."

House Vance was one of the largest noble houses in the Riverlands, with more territory than their liege lords, the Tully family of Riverrun. House Vance had once been kings of the Riverlands, and the Tully family had originally been vassals to House Vance. House Vance had two branches, the Vances of Atranta and the Vances of Wayfarer's Rest.

During this Lannister invasion, Wayfarer's Rest was captured, and Atranta suffered a long siege; both branches of House Vance suffered heavy losses.

The crest of Atranta was a quartered green dragon and white tower, and the crest of Wayfarer's Rest was a quartered black dragon and eye. Eddard stared at the green dragon and white tower crest on Hugo Vance's chest.

"Your House Vance, whether it be Wayfarer's Rest or the castle of the Arlan, both have magic dragons on your sigil. Could it be that, historically, House Vance has some connection to magic dragons?"

Hugo Vance said: "Our House Vance was once kings of the Riverlands in ancient times. Legend has it that thousands of years ago, a magic dragon saved a king of House Vance, and ever since then, our family sigil has featured a magic dragon."

Afterwards, in the great hall of Kingspyre Tower, Eddard met with Lord Jason Mallister of Seagard. Lord Jason said: "Lord Eddard, the Iron Islands seem to be gathering their fleet. I hear the Iron Fleet attacked Lannisport and burned dozens of warships in Lannisport with fire."

"However, there are also rumors that it was the North Coast Fleet that attacked Lannisport, only they were flying the golden kraken banner of House Greyjoy."

Eddard was somewhat surprised, "The Iron Bitch launched a sneak attack on Lannisport?"

Lord Jason Mallister shrugged, "It could be her! At least that is what the fishermen of Seagard are all saying."

Eddard had once worried that the Iron Bitch Helene would betray him; at least she had not betrayed him. Attacking Lannisport while flying the golden kraken banner of House Greyjoy was very much in line with the style of the Iron Bitch Helene Pyke. Helene always liked to launch bold sneak attacks when she had no advantage whatsoever.

Sneaking an attack on Lannisport and destroying the Lannisport fleet was a great victory, weakening the strength of the Westerlands fleet. However, if King Balon knew that the North Coast Fleet was attacking the Westerlands under the banner of the golden kraken, he would surely be furious.

Eddard estimated that King Balon would sooner or later don the Driftwood Crown and be crowned king. When that time came, the Iron Fleet might attack the North, and Eddard hoped the Iron Bitch and the Wolf Castle on the North coast could hold off the attacks of the ironborn.

Theon was right there, flirting with a nurse. Theon had begun serving as Eddard's ward since he was ten; he was the hostage ensuring King Balon's loyalty to the Iron Throne. Now, the Iron Throne had fallen apart, yet Theon remained by Eddard's side.

If King Balon attacked the North, it would prove he did not care about Theon's life at all. The population and strength of the Iron Islands destined the ironborn to be unable to conquer the North; at most, they could occupy some coastal areas.

Once the North held off the first wave of the ironborn's offensive, Eddard could mobilize the armies of the North, The Vale, and the Riverlands to sound the horn of counterattack. If enough ships could be gathered in the Riverlands, Eddard could send Riverlands nobles to attack the Iron Islands directly.

But doing so was too risky. In naval warfare, the ironborn, who believed in the Drowned God, were extremely fierce in combat. The waves and sea salt made the blood of the ironborn boil; they were the most formidable sailors and pirates. Relying solely on the armies and ships of the Riverlands, they would likely be completely wiped out by the enemy before even reaching the Iron Islands.

Since ancient times, the Riverlands had never conquered the Iron Islands; on the contrary, they had been conquered by them. Fortunately, Eddard possessed magic dragons. The magic dragon Winter was growing every day, and furthermore, Eddard had found new dragon eggs, and he also had a griffin egg.

Giant eagles and magic dragons, combined with griffins, would surely be able to sweep away the Iron Islands. No matter how fierce the ironborn were at sea, they would be helpless against an air force.

If King Balon attacked the North, Eddard could take the opportunity to express a wave of father-son affection to Theon. Once his strength was sufficient, Eddard could send troops to sweep away the Iron Islands and place Theon on the Seastone Chair, officially bringing the Iron Islands under the banner of the direwolf.

Afterwards, in the great hall, Eddard met with Lord Tytos Blackwood of Raventree Hall and Lord Jonos Bracken of Stone Hedge. House Blackwood and House Bracken were blood feuds; members of the two great houses sat at the two tables furthest apart.

In fact, both Jonos Bracken and Tytos Blackwood were loyal to House Tully and were fierce generals of the Riverlands.

House Frey of the river crossing, The Twins, sent a large group of Freys. Leading them was Ser Stevron Frey, the heir to The Twins, who was nearly seventy years old and in robust health.

Eddard hoped Lord Walder Frey would depart this world soon. Once Lord Walder died, Stevron would inherit The Twins; his character was far better than Lord Walder's.

Arriving at Harrenhal with Ser Stevron were Black Walder, Aenys Frey, Walder Rivers, and other children and grandchildren of Lord Walder. These Freys were all brave and skilled in battle, though some were as sinister as Lord Walder. Eddard decided that if the opportunity arose, he would have these Freys serve as the vanguard to charge and break the lines.

There were also those of good character in House Frey, such as Lord Walder's son Petyr Frey. Petyr Frey was a friend of Ser Edmure Tully and was also the older brother of Eddard's ward Olyvar Frey; they were all sons of Lady Bethany Rosby, Lord Walder's sixth wife.

Lord William Mooton of Maidenpool, the small town lord Ronald Root of Harroway, the Knighted Landed Knight Sir Quincey Cox of Saltpans, the Knighted Landed Knight Sir Wilbert Corbray of Stoneway, Lord Raymund Darry of Darry Castle, and the lord of Fairmarket, Stanley Tollett, arrived one after another.

The nobles of The Vale also arrived in full force: Lord Gerold Grafton of Gulltown, Lord Lyonel Corbray of Heart's Home and his younger brother Ser Lyn Corbray, Lady Anya Waynwood of Ironoaks, the heir to Longbow Hall Sir Jwood Hunter, as well as lords from Old Anchor, Snakewood, Redfort, Strongsong, and other places.

The nobles of The Vale, the Riverlands, and the North enjoyed a feast together, including fruit salad, roasted trout, crispy golden roasted wild boar with apples in their mouths, blue cheese, lemon cake, barley venison soup, and other delicacies, washed down with Blue Noble provided by Eddard and Dornish red wine provided by Prince Oberyn the Red Viper of Dorne.

Dorne remained neutral, but Prince Oberyn, out of hatred for the Lannisters, brought the mercenary group he had formed, the Viper Group, to the Riverlands to participate in the war, acting as Eddard's ally.

Oberyn sat beside Eddard with his daughter Lareza, "Wolf Prince, you have so many subordinates, don't kill all the Lannisters; a few must be left for me."

After the banquet ended, Eddard summoned the nobles of the North, the Riverlands, and The Vale to the Godswood of Harrenhal for a meeting.

The giant Dodo, the magic dragon, the direwolf Night, and the giant eagle stood guard beside Eddard.

Eddard said: "The enemies we face include not only the Lannisters but also the servants of the Great Other. The necromancer may have gone to King's Landing; I suspect that other regions may also be subject to attacks by the undead."

Some nobles of The Vale and the Riverlands looked at each other in dismay. By comparison, Roose Bolton of the North, Lord Rickard Karstark, Ser Wendel, Lord Haris Hornwood, and others were much calmer; they had all seen the wight Wheat.

Eddard raised his voice, "You need not fear, for we have magic dragons, and the undead are no match for dragonfire. I have fought the undead beyond the Wall; by using obsidian and fire, we can defeat them."

In truth, Eddard was not as confident as he sounded; after all, no one had expected the necromancer to run to the south to stir up trouble. However, there was no need to let the nobles of The Vale and the Riverlands be filled with fear.

Eddard said: "From now on, the North, The Vale, and the Riverlands are an inseparable whole, and we will fight side by side. The North has the Winter Wolves, The Vale has the Chick Eagle Army, and I have decided to establish the Three Rivers Army in the Riverlands and, at the same time, develop military colonies in the Riverlands."

"I will build the River Fleet to protect the Trident, and at the same time, build fleets in Seagard, Maidenpool, and Saltpans to protect the coastline!"

The Riverlands nobles cheered in unison.

Eddard continued: "I will build Wolf Castle High City at High Heart and Wolf Castle Crossroads Castle at the Ruby Ford crossing. I will build many bridges in the Riverlands to facilitate travel and transport for the residents. I will make the Riverlands prosperous and strong, and at the same time, I will rebuild the ruined Stoney Sept."

"At the same time, the Lannisters must pay the price for their atrocities in ravaging the Riverlands. I will lead a great army to sack the Westerlands and bring the gold of the Westerlands to the Riverlands, The Vale, and the North!"

The nobles of The Vale, the Riverlands, and the North shouted in unison.

Under the bright moonlight, Eddard placed the silver-white dragon egg and the red, blue, and green dragon eggs on the table in front of the Weirwood Heart Tree.

The magic dragon Winter roared to the sky, and Eddard announced: "The silver-white dragon egg was discovered in The Vale, the red, blue, and green dragon eggs were discovered in the Riverlands, and the griffin egg was discovered in The Vale. Today, under the watch of the Old Gods, I will hatch the magic dragons and griffins to protect our kingdom!"

The nobles all widened their eyes; some clasped their hands, some stretched their necks, and some waited in eager anticipation.

Eddard absorbed the natural energy around him and raised his fist high; the Weirwood Bracelet on his right wrist emitted rays of white light.

Suddenly, the one thousand Weirwood Heart Trees on the Isle of Faces in the Gods Eye responded, and a mirage of the Weirwood Forest appeared in the sky above Harrenhal.

The nobles of The Vale, the Riverlands, Theon, the Northern nobles, the Mountain Clans, the wildlings, and the giants all opened their mouths in astonishment.

The Weirwood illusion in the sky cast down rays of radiance, shining upon the dragon eggs. The patterns on the dragon eggs trembled violently, cracking open as if a volcano were erupting.

A silver-white magic dragon with golden eyes crawled out of the Vale dragon egg; a red, blue, and green magic dragon crawled out of the Riverlands dragon egg.

Seven griffins flew out of the griffin egg; the griffins were reborn into the world!

The two magic dragons landed on Eddard's shoulders, the griffins danced nearby, and the magic dragons, griffins, giant eagle, and direwolf roared in unison.

The nobles, the leaders of the Mountain Clans, and the giants all knelt down one after another.

"Wolf King Eddard!"

"King in the North!"

"Father of Life!"

"King of The Vale!"

"King of the Trident!"

At this moment, what Eddard saw in the eyes of every noble was nothing but submission, submission from the bottom of their hearts.

Thanks to A Person's Loneliness, Obedience, Wanbang Ryker Ju, Drunkenly Human Enjoying Joy, 20170823000024849, and Chididi for the monthly tickets. Thank you for your support!

(End of chapter)