Chapter 204: The Choice of the Rose, The Battle of Deep Den

Following the instructions of the Wolf King Eddard, the Blackfish Brynden and the Young Wolf Robb dispatched the army of House Frey to launch a surprise attack from the path at the Golden Tooth, but Duke Tywin had long been prepared.

Duke Tywin dispatched the fierce Westerlands commander Addam Marbrand to lead crossbowmen in an ambush along the path, and House Frey suffered a crushing defeat, losing nearly one thousand men out of their four-thousand-strong army.

The corpse of the Frey commander Walder Rivers was riddled with arrows until he looked like a hedgehog; he was the bastard son of Lord Walder.

Raymond Frey was one of Lord Walder's many sons, and he was struck in the throat by a Lannister crossbow bolt on the battlefield.

Because House Frey had consistently been perfunctory and duplicitous regarding the Wolf King's orders, before leaving the Riverlands, the Wolf King Eddard specifically instructed the Blackfish Brynden and the Young Wolf Robb that if there were any dangerous missions, they should send House Frey to lead the vanguard.

In any case, House Frey had many branches and leaves, and Lord Walder had many descendants; Eddard had plenty of Freys at his disposal.

House Frey suffered heavy casualties in the ambush at the path, and House Frey would inevitably hate the Lannisters; in this way, the possibility of Lord Walder colluding with the Lannisters to backstab the Starks and Tullys was greatly reduced.

In the camp of the Stark Army, Walder Rivers and Raymond Frey were both covered with white shrouds, with the Silent Sisters handling the corpses, while the injured Frey soldiers and commanders were handed over to the Nurse Corps.

The Blackfish Brynden looked at the group of Lord Walder's descendants before him, "Walder Rivers, Raymond Frey, and the soldiers of House Frey all died for the Wolf King and Lord Hoster; the Stark and Tully families will not forget the merits of House Frey's bloody battle."

Robb asked, "After the death of Walder Rivers, who will command the Frey army?"

"Me!" Aenys Frey stepped forward; Aenys Frey was the third son of Lord Walder, a tall and strong man with gray hair, a well-trained warrior, and a pair of hungry eyes flashing with anger.

Aenys Frey said angrily, "This blood debt of the Lannisters must be repaid."

Lord Walder's great-grandson, the hot-tempered Black Walder, said indignantly, "The Lannisters shot and killed the men of House Frey; House Frey craves revenge. Please let House Frey join the Stark Army to attack the Golden Tooth, kill all those Lannisters, and avenge my kin."

Black Walder was the second son of Lord Walder's eldest grandson, Lyman Frey, and he had a poor reputation within House Frey; it was said that Black Walder had affairs with his aunt Amerei Frey, his niece Walda Frey, many aunts-in-law, and even his great-grandfather Lord Walder's seventh wife, Anara Farring.

It was hard to imagine that a person like Black Walder would be saddened by the death of his relatives.

The Young Wolf Robb said, "Black Walder, I can fully understand your feelings, but our army's frontal assault on the Golden Tooth also failed. Lord Medger Cerwyn brought soldiers from House Cerwyn and used ballistae, catapults, and other siege engines, but unfortunately, they posed no threat to the Golden Tooth at all; our siege engines were instead struck by giant boulders thrown by the heavy catapults on the Golden Tooth, suffering heavy losses."

The Blackfish Brynden sighed, "The Golden Tooth is not so easy to take; the Golden Tooth is equivalent to Moat Cailin of the North and the Bloody Gate of the Vale; it has been impregnable since ancient times. Fortunately, the Wolf King is bringing the Giant Eagle Legion and the Magic Dragon from the North to the Westerlands. If the Wolf King's Giant Eagle Legion and Magic Dragon were here, the possibility of us taking this fortress would be greatly increased."

The Young Wolf Robb echoed, "At the same time, Bronze Yohn, Ser Barristan, and Ser Baron Swann have been winning consecutive victories in the northern Westerlands; the Hollow Hill, Nun Castle, and the Crag have all fallen into our hands."

"Once the Northern Army captures the Marbrand family's Deep Den, our army can directly threaten the rear of the Golden Tooth; by then, if Duke Tywin and the Kingslayer are still staying at the Golden Tooth, they will be attacked from both front and rear."

The Wolf King Eddard rode on the back of a giant eagle, together with the Giant Eagle Prince Michu and the Giant Eagle Princess Bessa, leading dozens of giant eagles and magic dragon flying wolves to arrive at the castle on the Sunset Sea of the Westerlands, the Westerling family seat, the Crag.

The banners of the direwolf fluttered over the Crag, and the soldiers on the battlements, upon seeing the Giant Eagle Legion, magic dragon flying wolves, and Eddard on the back of a giant eagle flying through the air, immediately burst into cheers.

Responsible for defending this castle were the Magnar Styr of the Thenn and Tormund Giantsbane.

The Thenns were the most disciplined group among the Wildlings Beyond the Wall, and they were skilled at making bronze weapons and bronze scale armor. After the Thenns surrendered to Eddard along with the Wildlings, Eddard incorporated all the Thenns into the Winter Wolves; the Thenns now all used plate armor, chainmail, and steel weapons.

Tormund Giantsbane said excitedly, "Father of Life, you have finally arrived in the Westerlands. How is our home in the North? Have those Ironborn who invaded the North been repelled?"

Eddard said, "My son Jon Snow used wildfire at the Heatwave River to burn the Iron Islands fleet, and with my pincer attack using the magic dragon and giant eagles, the Iron Islands fleet was utterly defeated. The 'Reader' Roderick, 'Cleftjaw' Dagmer, the chieftain Saven Botley, and others were captured, and the remnants of the Ironborn have already fled back to the Iron Islands in a sorry state."

Tormund Giantsbane let out a rough laugh, "Ha! I knew that fine lad Jon would be able to help the Father of Life defeat the Ironborn."

Eddard said, "How is the situation in the Westerlands?"

The Magnar Styr of the Thenn said, "Father of Life, our army has been winning victory after victory. Ser Barristan led troops to capture the Banefort family's Hollow Hill, and Ser Baron Swann led troops to capture this Crag. Now, Ser Barristan and Ser Baron Swann have both led troops to advance toward Deep Den; they will rendezvous with Bronze Yohn's army there."

Tormund Giantsbane said, "Now, the hills and mountains of the northern Westerlands are all firmly controlled by the Mountain Legion; we have occupied every mountain village, every mine, and every cave. Following the Father of Life's orders, we have abducted all the women and children of the Westerlands, crossed mountains and ridges, and sent them to the Riverlands."

Eddard smiled, "Well done."

Styr said, "Lord Eddard, I see that the gold mines and silver mines of Nun Castle and the Pendrey Hills have accumulated a large amount of gold and silver; this real gold and silver must also be transported to the Riverlands in time."

Eddard shook his head, "There is no need for that. My march into the Westerlands this time is to consume all of the Lannisters' territory; I will not withdraw my troops. The gold and silver you see are only a small portion that has been excavated; the mountain ranges of the Westerlands have plenty of expensive metals like gold and silver. As long as we occupy the Westerlands, the gold and silver in these mountains will all be ours in the future."

Tormund Giantsbane pounded his strong chest with his fist, "We Wildlings have followed the Father of Life and fought so many victorious battles, and now we even have mountains of gold and silver; life will only get better and better from now on."

Eddard said calmly, "Gold and silver are indeed precious, but in my heart, the most precious things are always you talented people, as well as the land; the land is the living space for the Wolf King's people and the Stark Army. Gold and silver can buy various resources, but the potatoes, turnips, apples, honey, corn, and wheat on the land are each indispensable."

Tormund Giantsbane said, "Wildlings used to shiver in the ice and snow Beyond the Wall, facing the threat of the Others and wights, and the Wildlings were at their wits' end. It was the Father of Life who brought the Wildlings to the fertile black soil of the North, and now, the Father of Life has even brought the Wildlings to the warm and wealthy Westerlands. Following the Father of Life, our life as Wildlings is getting better and better."

Eddard placed his hand on Tormund Giantsbane's shoulder, "My conquest cannot be separated from your contributions. The Crag is the castle of House Westerling; when you captured the Crag, did you take any prisoners?"

Tormund Giantsbane nodded, "Yes, Lord Gawen Westerling, his wife Sybell Spicer, his wife's brother Rolph Spicer, as well as Lord Westerling's two sons and two daughters, have all become our prisoners."

In the dungeon of the Crag, Eddard met Jeyne Westerling; the girl was beautiful and very attractive to young men. Eddard was glad that Robb had not appeared at the Crag; otherwise, if Robb had captured the castle, he might have ended up as Jeyne's love prisoner instead.

In the future, Eddard planned to have Robb marry a wife of equal status; Asha Greyjoy of the Iron Islands, Margaery of Highgarden, Myrcella Baratheon of House Lannister, or Princess Arianne Martell of Dorne could all be considered. Jeyne Westerling was a kind person, but her mother Lady Sybell and uncle Rolph Spicer were both ambitious, and the Starks could not intermarry with the Westerlings.

As soon as Jeyne saw Eddard, she knelt down, "Wolf Prince, I beg you to release my family; I am willing to be your servant for life to repay your kindness."

Eddard said, "After I defeat the Lannisters, your family will have a chance to gain freedom. For now, you can only stay in the dungeon."

Subsequently, Eddard came to an empty cell, and Tormund Giantsbane brought Lady Sybell and her brother Rolph Spicer before Eddard.

The Spicer family was of merchant origin; Lady Sybell's grandmother was the famous Maggy the Frog, a witch from across the Narrow Sea who once made a living selling aphrodisiacs, medicines, and fortune-telling in Lannisport. The young Cersei was once a client of Maggy the Frog, and it was Maggy the Frog's prophecy about the shroud, the brother strangling her, and a beautiful woman taking everything away that had made Cersei suffer so much for so many years.

Lady Sybell had a dignified demeanor, while Rolph Spicer was frivolous and ostentatious; both of them wore fawning smiles on their faces.

Rolph Spicer said, "During the Robert's Rebellion back then, the Wolf Prince was King Robert's right-hand man, helping King Robert win the Battle of the Trident and lifting the Siege of Storm's End; subsequently, the Wolf Prince helped King Robert suppress Balon Greyjoy's Iron Islands rebellion."

"In recent years, the Wolf Prince has swept through the rockborn of Skagos and the Wildlings Beyond the Wall. After the War of the Five Kings, the Wolf Prince led his army south, and the Vale and the Riverlands have successively submitted to the North. The Wolf Prince is simply the number one general in Westeros, a god-of-war level existence. I believe Duke Tywin is certainly no match for you."

Eddard said, "Duke Tywin is your liege lord; are you looking down on Duke Tywin like this?"

Lady Sybell said, "As everyone knows, Duke Tywin's grandson King Joffrey is a bastard born of the Kingslayer's illicit affair with Cersei. The Crag is a vassal of the Lannisters and had no choice but to respond to the Lannisters' call and send troops to support the Lannister cause, but in the eyes of our House Westerling, the Wolf Prince is the true king."

Rolph Spicer revealed an exaggerated smile, "As long as the Wolf Prince is willing to release the members of House Westerling from the dungeon, I guarantee to the Wolf Prince that my brother-in-law Lord Gawen Westerling will definitely lead House Westerling to abandon the Lannisters and defect to the Starks."

Eddard said coldly, "You stay in the dungeon properly; when you gain freedom will depend on your own performance."

Subsequently, the soldiers took away Lady Sybell and Rolph Spicer, and Eddard instructed Tormund Giantsbane, "Lady Sybell and Rolph Spicer are two despicable and shameless sycophants; do not set them free at any time, let them rot in the dungeon."

Tormund Giantsbane said, "Father of Life, since you don't like them, why not just slaughter them?"

Eddard said, "These two people are begging for mercy and want to surrender; killing them without a just cause will only make those who want to surrender to the Starks in the future hesitate. Tormund, the fewer people we kill, the more people who might join us in the future."

Tormund Giantsbane said, "Father of Life, where do you plan to attack? Our army has completely controlled the gold mines of Castamere and the Pendrey Hills; your Giant Eagle Legion and magic dragon can directly head south to threaten Lannisport and Casterly Rock."

Eddard said, "Casterly Rock and Lannisport are heavily guarded, and Casterly Rock is a cave fortress that has never been breached in history. Obviously, Tywin has prepared fine bows and strong crossbows at Casterly Rock and Lannisport to welcome the Giant Eagle Legion and the magic dragon; I will not take risks with my magic dragon and giant eagles."

"The Iron Bitch Harlen's North Coast Fleet has already begun to raid the coastal areas of the Westerlands; I believe it will soon bring the flames of war to the Lannisport area. My current goal is to go to Deep Den to rendezvous with the armies of Bronze Yohn, Ser Barristan, and Ser Baron Swann, and together attack the Marbrand family seat of Deep Den, then head south to threaten the Golden Tooth."

At Harrenhal, Catelyn was raising silkworms with a group of silkworm farmers, and on the drill ground, Lord Rickard Karstark was leading soldiers in training.

The giant Xixi was bathing in the sunlight, feeding the magic dragon Eagle Eye and the magic dragon Koi, while Lord Robin and Lysa were playing on the side.

Lord Robin drank giant milk every day, his body becoming increasingly strong, and the number of his epileptic seizures had also significantly decreased.

Arya and Sansa were together by the animal pen, feeding the griffins; the seven little griffins had to eat a lot of chicken and ribs every day.

The giant Xixi also feeds the griffins, and the griffins grew up together with the magic dragon Eagle Eye and the koi; influenced by the magic dragon, the griffins also began to eat cooked food, and every time they eat chicken or wild boar ribs, the magic dragon Eagle Eye and the koi will spew dragonfire to roast the chicken and ribs, and then eat heartily together with the magic dragon.

The direwolf Lady and Nymeria accompany Sansa and Arya every day to take care of the magic dragons and griffins.

At Harrenhal, the magic dragons, griffins, and direwolves together became the pride of the Harrenhal garrison and the key to uniting the people's hearts.

Because the Stark Army counterattacked the Westerlands, the flames of war in the Riverlands never spread to the Harrenhal area; on the Crownlands side, King Stannis controlled most of the Crownlands north of King's Landing, and with Stannis's army blocking the Lannisters of King's Landing, Harrenhal was very safe, and like other Riverlands castles in the vicinity, Harrenhal was peaceful.

Manors around Harrenhal sprang up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, and the Crossroads Castle of the Wolf Castle on the north bank of the Ruby Ford of the Trident, and the High Castle of the Wolf Castle at High Heart, were under orderly construction.

Arya hugged a strong griffin, which had grown as large as a hound, with a body as powerful as a lion and wings like a majestic eagle.

"Sansa, in the future I want to be a wolf knight, a Dragonknight, and also a griffin knight. Once this griffin grows up, I can soar in the sky just like Father riding a giant eagle."

Sansa chuckled: "Arya, you might become a wolf knight or a griffin knight, but you can forget about being a Dragonknight. In the history of Westeros, Dragonknights have all been members of House Targaryen; one must have the blood of a Dragonlord to ride one!"

Arya said disdainfully: "In ancient times there were plenty of dragons, and it wasn't just during the Targaryen Dynasty that they existed. I believe there must have been many Dragonknights in ancient times who didn't have the blood of a Dragonlord. History books used to say that only members of House Targaryen could hatch dragons, but didn't Father succeed in hatching them?"

Sansa thought for a while, "What you say seems to have some truth to it. In that case, is it possible for me to become a Dragonknight too? I already have my own direwolf Lady, so why not ask Father for a magic dragon?"

"If I become a Dragonknight, the singers will surely love me to death and compose all sorts of beautiful ballads for me."

Arya gave a soft snort, "Who cares about your silly ballads! If I become a Dragonknight, I will follow Father to fight everywhere, and then kill all the bad guys like the Mountain Gregor, Joffrey, and Regent Queen Cersei."

At the Ox Village north of Deep Den, Sir Baron Swann and Sir Barristan victoriously joined forces with the main force of Bronze Yohn.

Sir Baron Swann set out from the Crag and plundered Castamere and the gold mines, farms, and villages of the Pendrey Hills along the way; when Baron Swann's light cavalry arrived at Castamere, they happened to encounter light rain, and the Wolf King's soldiers joked that they had encountered "The Rains of Castamere."

The commander of the other army, Sir Barristan, traveled day and night from the Deep Den, the castle of House Banefort on the northwest coast of the Westerlands, and finally caught up with Baron Swann and Bronze Yohn's troops at Ox Town.

The Eagle King McCain stood on a sandstone hill, manipulating the owls and falcons in the air, but he never saw the eagles return.

The owls and falcons circled in the air and landed on the broad shoulders of the Eagle King McCain; this old man with silver hair and a silver beard was filled with worry.

"What on earth is going on? I have actually lost contact with my eagles; I cannot sense the existence of the eagles, it is truly a strange matter."

Sir Barristan became alert, "Has this situation ever occurred before?"

The Eagle King McCain shook his head, "Never. My eagles, falcons, and owls have followed me for three years, and I have always been able to easily control them for scouting and attacking."

Bronze Yohn said: "Could it be that your eagle went hunting on its own? There are many wild rabbits in the wild mountains of the Westerlands."

The Eagle King McCain shook his head, "Impossible. If an eagle catches a rabbit, I can sense it; it is as easy as you touching your bronze plate armor and being able to sense the bronze plate armor."

Sir Barristan said nervously: "It must be the Golden Lady; it is said that the Lannister witch, the Golden Lady, can control animals."

Bronze Yohn said disdainfully: "How can a witch compare to an experienced skinchanger like the Eagle King McCain? Besides, we also have many skinchangers like the Goat Girl Gisela, the Cat Girl Jeyne, and the Saber-toothed Tiger Warrior Tigris."

The Eagle King McCain said: "If we were Beyond the Wall, in the North where there are many weirwoods, or at High Heart in the Riverlands or the Gods Eye area, I would be confident in defeating the Golden Lady, because those are places watched over by the Old Gods. However, here in the Westerlands, I do not have absolute certainty."

"There are too few weirwoods in this place, but too many gold and silver mines. This land has been ravaged, and I worry that the Old Gods do not have enough power here."

Sir Barristan, Bronze Yohn, and Sir Baron Swann exchanged suspicious glances.

A flock of sparrows flew past, the saber-toothed tiger let out a roar at the sparrows, and the shadowcat of the Cat Girl Jeyne also began to grow restless.

Bronze Yohn frowned, "What's the situation?"

The Eagle King McCain manipulated a falcon and easily killed two sparrows, but more sparrows turned and flew away, disappearing into the mountains.

The Eagle King McCain said: "Those sparrows are the pets of the Golden Lady, scouting for the Lannisters. Alas! It is just a pity that my eagle is lost; if my eagle were here, not a single one of those sparrows would be able to escape."

Baron Swann said slowly: "The Eagle King McCain is the most experienced skinchanger, and even his eagle has been lost. The Lannister witch, the Golden Lady, is using sparrows for scouting, and our army's movements have already been exposed. Our skinchangers may not be a match for the Golden Lady. It would be better to delay the attack on Deep Den."

Bronze Yohn shook his head and said: "No, the task the Wolf King gave us is to take Deep Den. Only by taking Deep Den can our army threaten the rear of Golden Tooth; otherwise, the tens of thousands of troops outside Golden Tooth can only face that Westerlands fortress and be at a loss."

"The Wolf King is heading south with the Giant Eagle Legion and the magic dragons, and the Iron Bitch's North Coast Fleet is also approaching the coastal areas of the Westerlands. The situation for the Wolf King's army is excellent. We are less than two days' ride from Deep Den; how can we stop the attack on a military stronghold like Deep Den just because of one Golden Lady?"

In the Reach, at Highgarden, Sir Arys Oakheart arrived at the Great Hall of Highgarden in his soiled white cloak.

Lord Mace Tyrell and the Queen of Thorns, Lady Olenna Tyrell, looked at Sir Arys Oakheart in surprise.

Lady Olenna Tyrell said: "Sir Arys, you are of the Kingsguard and should be staying in King's Landing, protecting King Joffrey on the Iron Throne. Why have you come to Highgarden?"

Lord Mace Tyrell looked Sir Arys up and down, "You look very disheveled and weary."

Sir Arys said excitedly: "Lord Mace, Lady Olenna, I am no longer of the Kingsguard, because the Iron Throne in King's Landing has turned into a Skull Throne; the Regent Queen Cersei has become a Corpse Queen, and necromancers control King's Landing. Are the people of Highgarden and the Reach still being kept in the dark?"

Lord Mace Tyrell and his mother, Lady Olenna Tyrell, exchanged a look, and Lord Mace Tyrell frowned: "We have heard some similar terrifying rumors, but we thought they were lies fabricated by Stannis."

Arys Oakheart said: "I swear by the honor of House Oakheart and the Kingsguard that the rumors about the undead in King's Landing are true. As a Knight of the Kingsguard, I witnessed the death storm with my own eyes, and Rhaegar Targaryen reborn, standing guard for Cersei."

Mace Tyrell used a silk handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, "Prince Rhaegar has crawled out of his grave? And who is this death storm?"

Arys Oakheart said: "The death storm is the late King Robert; he wears plate armor and an antler helm all day long, with his face covered by a visor, but everyone is certain that it is the late King Robert."

Lady Olenna Tyrell raised an eyebrow, "The Lannisters of King's Landing have fallen so low as to consort with the undead, and Lord Tywin actually still wants his grandson Joffrey to marry my Margaery."

Arys Oakheart said: "Lady Olenna, Lord Tywin is in the Westerlands, fighting the Wolf King's army. Stannis has besieged King's Landing for too long, and the Westerlands are far from King's Landing; Lord Tywin likely does not know what has happened in King's Landing."

"Before I left King's Landing, Cersei had her necromancer Ogbeta destroy the Godswood and the Royal Sept. After I escaped King's Landing, on the road, I heard that Cersei coerced the High Septon to publicly blaspheme the Seven at the Baelor's Sept, accusing the Seven of being false gods and preaching that the evil Great Other is the only true god."

Lady Olenna Tyrell was shocked, "To blaspheme the Seven is to offend all the knights and pious believers in Westeros; how could Cersei do such a stupid thing?"

Mace Tyrell said: "Mother, should we still marry Margaery to the Lannisters?"

Lady Olenna Tyrell glared at Mace Tyrell, "Has water gotten into your brain? Cersei has publicly blasphemed the New and Old Gods; if the Tyrells were to marry into the Lannisters now, they would be seen as heretics. We in the Reach cherish chivalry the most and must immediately draw a line between ourselves and King's Landing, and the Lannisters."

Mace Tyrell said: "In that case, we would be abandoning the alliance between the Lannisters and the Tyrells."

Lady Olenna Tyrell said gloomily: "The Lannisters have formed an alliance with the undead and the Great Other; they have no need for the Rose of Highgarden."

Mace Tyrell's forehead was covered in cold sweat, "But, if we break with the Lannisters, the Reach could be caught in a pincer attack by the Lannisters of the Westerlands and Stannis of the Stormlands. Don't forget there are also the Dornish, who are restless in the south."

Lady Olenna Tyrell said disdainfully: "The Lannisters are begging the Reach for help; the Wolf King's army is at the gates of the Westerlands fortress, Golden Tooth, and many gold mines and castles in the northern mountains of the Westerlands have been occupied by the Wolf King's army. The Lannisters of the Westerlands can barely save themselves; what do they have to threaten the Reach with?"

"To ally with the Lannisters is to be an enemy of the Wolf King. Cersei consorts with the undead and has turned King's Landing into a city of the undead; Cersei has blasphemed the New and Old Gods, so to continue to ally with the Lannisters is to be an enemy of the believers of the New and Old Gods of Westeros, and even of all living things."

"The greatest threat to the Reach is still Stannis, but fortunately we have Randyll Tarly guarding Bitterbridge, and Stannis still has to deal with the undead Lannisters of King's Landing; the Reach is temporarily safe and worry-free."

Mace Tyrell said: "Renly Baratheon has fled to Riverrun; there is no guarantee the Wolf King won't use Renly to deal with the Reach. If we let the Wolf King Eddard annex the Lannisters of the Westerlands, the next prey of the Wolf King might very well be the Reach."

Lady Olenna Tyrell said: "No matter how much gold the Westerlands has, it cannot compare to the coalition formed by the North, the Riverlands, and the Vale. The Wolf King Eddard has hatched two dragons and has seven griffins at Harrenhal. Seven griffins! That is the gospel of the Seven; therefore, we must abandon the Lannisters and take the initiative to show goodwill to the Wolf King."

"Back then, the ancestors of House Tyrell were able to be promoted to Lord Paramount of the Mander and Lord of Highgarden by Aegon the Conqueror precisely because they judged the situation correctly and took the initiative to kneel and submit to Aegon the Conqueror. Today's Wolf King Eddard has a military might no less than Aegon the Conqueror; he also has dragons, and even possesses a Giant Eagle Legion, a giant legion, and a skinchanger legion."

"The Wolf King Eddard will be the winner of the War of the Five Kings. Although he has never worn a crown, his military is stronger and he has won the hearts of the people. If the undead of King's Landing become a threat to all humanity, the Wolf King is the heaven-sent savior. House Tyrell must follow the savior and the victor!"

Bronze Yohn, Sir Barristan, and Baron Swann led the Wolf King's army as they closed in on Deep Den, the castle of House Marbrand.

Sir Kevan led the Westerlands Army to set up camp on the high ground northwest of Deep Den, forming a pincer position with the garrison of Deep Den.

Eagle King McCain sent out owls and falcons to scout, circling above the Lannister camp.

The Golden Lady rode on the back of a lion; she cast a wicked, charming smile toward the owls and falcons in the sky, and blood-red light shot from her pupils, striking the owls and falcons.

Several miles away, Eagle King McCain went into a spasm and nearly fell to the ground; Bronze Yohn and Barristan at his side hurriedly steadied Eagle King McCain.

Bronze Yohn said, "What exactly did you see?"

Eagle King McCain coughed violently, "I saw it—it was that witch riding a lion! She bewitched my birds and took control of my owls and falcons. My eagles that went missing before must have also been bewitched by the Golden Lady."

Sir Barristan frowned, "Can you still take back your owls and falcons?"

Eagle King McCain said helplessly, "It is very difficult; here, the Golden Lady's power is clearly stronger than mine."

Bronze Yohn said, "Eagle King McCain, before the Golden Lady snatched your birds, did you observe the enemy's camp?"

Eagle King McCain nodded, "I saw it; the murder holes on the battlements of Deep Den and the walls were filled with crossbowmen, and the garrison had prepared boiling oil; the Roaring Lion Flag of the Lannisters was flying at the camp northeast of Deep Den, which was situated on a high hill, easy to defend and hard to attack, filled with pits, caltrops, and dragon's teeth."

Bronze Yohn sighed, "Sir Kevan's cunning is no less than that of his brother, Duke Tywin. The enemy camp and Deep Den have already formed a pincer position. This is the battlefield Sir Kevan chose, and with the Golden Lady sitting in command at Kevan's side, it will be very difficult for our army to take Deep Den."

Sir Barristan frowned, "By your meaning, are we to retreat?"

Bronze Yohn clenched his fists, "No. Once our army retreats, Kevan can leisurely recover Castamere, the Pendrey Hills, and even take back the fortress of Crag that our army occupied from the Westerlings; there is even a risk that the Northern Mountains of the Westerlands, which our army occupies, could be retaken by the Westerlands."

"Only if our army captures Deep Den can we threaten the fortress of Golden Tooth, which Duke Tywin guards with heavy troops, and completely crush the Lannister defense line in the Westerlands. Otherwise, the Lannisters, fighting on their home turf, could very well rely on their cliffside fortresses to launch a desperate counterattack and drive the Stark Army out of the Westerlands."

The shadowcat beneath Jeyne let out a series of roars, and Jeyne said, "We skinchangers can charge together with the Stark Army's cavalry."

Sir Barristan said, "Jeyne, it is best if skinchangers do not go into battle. Eagle King McCain's eagles, owls, and falcons have all been bewitched by the Golden Lady. Once the Golden Lady takes control of your skinchanger beasts, these beasts might just attack the Stark Army."

Jeyne glanced at Eagle King McCain to the side, "Grandfather Knight, you do not understand skinchangers at all. Skinchangers who control birds are completely different from us skinchangers who control beasts. We beast skinchangers have our feet on the ground, unlike bird skinchangers who float in the clouds every day. If that Golden Lady wants to take control of my shadowcat, let her bring it on!"

The Saber-toothed Tiger Warrior Tigris said, "If that Golden Lady dares to take control of my saber-toothed tiger, I will have my saber-toothed tiger tear open the Golden Lady's throat to see if there is gold or black blood in that bitch's veins."

The goat horns of the Goat Girl Gisela were like razors, and Gisela said, "We follow the Father of Life and fight bloody battles every time. Now that we have encountered a powerful enemy like the Golden Lady, to retreat before the battle—what kind of logic is that?"

Jeyne said, "Don't forget, the Golden Lady has a lion as a mount. Can the flesh and blood of a knight really stand against a fierce beast like a lion?"

Under the inspiration of the Father of Life, Eddard, the discipline of the skinchangers who joined the Winter Wolves had improved, but the stubbornness in the bones of the Wildlings still remained.

Bronze Yohn, Sir Barristan, and Baron Swann all understood that skinchangers played an important role in the Westerlands campaign, and excluding them from the battle now was truly unjustifiable. In the end, the three commanders consulted, and the commander-in-chief, Bronze Yohn, agreed to let the skinchangers participate in the battle to attack the House Marbrand fortress of Deep Den.

Preparing for the attack took the entire afternoon, and after night fell, the Stark Army sounded the horn of battle.

Baron Swann and Sir Barristan each led three thousand heavy cavalry, dividing into northern and southern routes to attack the Westerlands Army camp where Sir Kevan was located on the high hill northwest of Deep Den.

Bronze Yohn took one thousand cavalry, two thousand infantry, and the Siege Engine to attack the House Marbrand fortress of Deep Den.

Seeing the enemy launch their charge from the northwest hill, Kevan immediately gathered his crossbowmen to fire, and the fine bows and powerful crossbows of the Westerlands cast a deadly rain of arrows into the night sky; the Stark Army cavalrymen who were hit fell to the ground, screaming one after another.

The caltrops and pits set up in advance by the Westerlands Army made the Stark Army pay a heavy price for every step they advanced; many heavy cavalrymen fell into the pits, some warhorses were injured by caltrops, and the dragon's teeth also made it difficult for the Stark soldiers to advance.

Fortunately, the goats of the Goat Girl Gisela walked on the dragon's teeth as if on flat ground; the goats of the Goat Girl Gisela leaped onto the dragon's teeth and walked upon them like ghosts, leaving the Westerlands soldiers greatly terrified.

Before the Westerlands soldiers could react, the goats of the Goat Girl Gisela had already leaped above the Westerlands soldiers, trampling a Lannister soldier with a Roaring Lion engraved on his breastplate underfoot; Gisela drew her longsword and hacked to death a House Marbrand soldier whose breastplate bore a burning tree.

On the other side, the Saber-toothed Tiger Warrior Tigris brandished his lance, riding his saber-toothed tiger to jump over the pits, dragon's teeth, and caltrops, killing his way in front of a group of Westerlands crossbowmen holding Yew Bows and Crossbows; the crossbowmen screamed repeatedly and retreated in a hurry.

The fangs of the saber-toothed tiger were like sharp blades, biting a Hired Knight of House Swyft whose breastplate bore a bantam rooster; the knight's breastplate was pierced by the saber-toothed tiger as if it were silk, and blood flowed in torrents.

Jeyne followed beside Sir Barristan's warhorse and charged into the Westerlands Army camp; the shadowcat pinned a Lannister pikeman to the ground, and like a cat tearing at a mouse, it easily tore open the Westerlands pikeman's arm, leaving the stump of the arm a bloody mess.

The neighing of warhorses, the wails of the dying, and the shouts of the charge echoed over the wilderness outside Deep Den.

Jeyne was in the midst of a killing spree when she suddenly felt the shadowcat beneath her begin to disobey; something was attempting to squeeze Jeyne out of the shadowcat's body.

Jeyne held her breath and focused, regaining control of the shadowcat; she saw not far away the Golden Lady in a golden silk gown, riding on the back of a lion, her eyes emitting a ruby-like glow.

"So it was you trying to bewitch my shadowcat," Jeyne glared at the Golden Lady, "I'll slaughter you today! Let's see how you bewitch my beast then!"

The shadowcat let out a roar and lunged toward the Golden Lady and the lion; a flash of blood-red light flickered in the Golden Lady's blood-red pupils, and immediately after, the lion and the shadowcat roared in unison, the two beasts tearing into each other.

The Golden Lady and Jeyne were thrown off almost simultaneously; Jeyne tumbled in the air and landed steadily like a spinning top, while the Golden Lady landed directly on the ground; Jeyne's longsword was gone, so she drew a dagger and stabbed at the Golden Lady, but the Golden Lady dodged, and the dagger tore a large hole in the Golden Lady's gown.

At this moment, a scent bag suddenly appeared in the Golden Lady's hand, and the bag scattered a trail of golden powder; Jeyne instantly felt a sharp pain in her eyes, and the next second, the Golden Lady's beautiful leg kicked Jeyne in the head; Jeyne felt a violent dizziness in her head and flew out heavily, crashing to the ground.

Jeyne saw stars, and it felt as if a dragon war had occurred in her brain; by the time she regained consciousness, the Golden Lady was already riding on the back of the shadowcat, and the shadowcat's eyes were blood-red, baring sharp teeth at Jeyne.

"This... this is impossible, this is my shadowcat," Jeyne muttered.

The shadowcat licked Jeyne's face with a tongue as rough as a whetstone, and the Golden Lady said triumphantly, "Skinchanger tricks are nothing more than this; I can easily control your beasts. If I wanted to, I could even make the shadowcat tear you apart bit by bit and swallow you into its belly."

A white light flashed in the Golden Lady's blood-red pupils, and the shadowcat slapped Jeyne on the head with a paw, knocking Jeyne unconscious.

The Goat Girl Gisela and the Saber-toothed Tiger Warrior Tigris drove their beasts and rushed to the Golden Lady's side, attempting to rescue Jeyne.

At this moment, the Golden Lady threw a handful of golden powder into the air and chanted a spell; the golden powder turned into a sandstorm filling the sky, and the wind roared.

The eyes of Tigris and Gisela were both attacked by the sandstorm, and the two could not see anything; the saber-toothed tiger and the goat instantly became uncontrollable, throwing their masters to the ground.

The lion rushed up and knocked out Tigris and Gisela with its lion claws; immediately after, the shadowcat, the goat, and the saber-toothed tiger were all taken over by the Golden Lady, and these beasts, together with the lion, began to attack the Stark soldiers.

The Golden Sand storm did not attack the Westerlands soldiers, but it made it impossible for many Stark soldiers to open their eyes to face the enemy; coupled with the fact that all the skinchangers had been captured by the Golden Lady, the beasts that originally belonged to the Stark Army began to attack the Stark soldiers.

Bronze Yohn led his army to charge from the rear, but instead, they were struck by their own retreating troops, with men and horses trampling each other.

Sir Kevan ordered his knights to blow the Lion horn of the Westerlands, and the camp knights and the knights of Deep Den, who had long been prepared, killed their way out simultaneously; the Stark Army began to collapse.

Baron Swann protected the soldiers as they retreated first; he brandished a flail, smashing three Lannister cavalrymen to death, and then used his longsword to hack a House Crakehall pikeman to death; however, the enemy surged forward like a tide, and in the end, Baron Swann was caught by a grappling hook, dragged off his warhorse, and captured when his strength was exhausted.

On the other side of the battlefield, Sir Barristan led Eagle King McCain to carve out a bloody path, their Winter Wolves uniforms stained with blood. The Westerlands Army still wanted to pursue, but fortunately, Bronze Yohn had ambushed crossbowmen on both sides in advance; the Stark Army's crossbowmen released a deadly rain of arrows, holding the line, and many Westerlands cavalrymen screamed as they fell from their horses, struck by arrows and dying.

Bronze Yohn gathered the defeated troops and retreated to the northern hills.

In the Battle of Deep Den, the Westerlands won a great victory; Baron Swann, the Goat Girl Gisela, Jeyne, and the Saber-toothed Tiger Warrior Tigris were all captured, and the prisoners were escorted before Sir Kevan.

Sir Kevan looked at these prisoners, then at the saber-toothed tiger, goat, and shadowcat beside the Golden Lady, as well as the eagles, owls, and falcons that the Golden Lady had previously bewitched, and was extremely excited.

"Golden Lady, the skinchanger legion of the Wolf King Eddard has not tasted defeat in the Riverlands or the Westerlands since following the Wolf King Eddard south; today, they have actually been defeated at your hands."

The Golden Lady revealed a charming smile, her skirt rustling, "This is merely an appetizer; no matter how many of these skinchangers come, they will all die."

The Count of Deep Den, Damon Marbrand, said, "It is only a pity that that Eagle King McCain ran away."

The Golden Lady said disdainfully, "Eagle King McCain—his eagles, owls, and falcons have all been taken by me; Eagle King McCain has become a commander without an army, and the old man poses no threat at all."

Baron Swann spat out a mouthful of blood and said disdainfully, "Golden Lady, you don't need to be so arrogant; the Wolf King Eddard has already arrived in the Westerlands, and the Giant Eagle Legion and the Magic Dragon have arrived in the Westerlands. That trick of yours is simply no match for the Wolf King Eddard."

The golden lady said indifferently: "If Wolf King Eddard dares to come, regardless of whether he is a Magic Dragon or a giant eagle, I will occupy it all the same!"

Outside the city of King's Landing, Stannis, the red priestess Melisandre, and the Onion Knight Davos rode on warhorses, looking across the Blackwater River at the misty, hazy King's Landing.

The white mist on the Blackwater River was like the fingers of a ghost, stroking the surface of the river.

The red priestess Melisandre sniffed the air, "Death, annihilation, skeletons, the scent of the Undead is everywhere."

Stannis was dressed simply in a suit of smoke-gray Plate Armor, and the red gold crown he wore on his head was fashioned into the shape of flames. Stannis said coldly: "Red priestess Melisandre, tell me, what did you see in the holy fire?"

The red priestess Melisandre said: "Your Grace, King's Landing has become a city of the Undead. The servants of the Great Other are running rampant in King's Landing. The Iron Throne has already become a Skull Throne, and the Undead have shrouded King's Landing. Even R'hllor cannot display the situation inside King's Landing."

Stannis gave a light snort. He drew that Magic Sword, and the Magic Sword radiated brilliant rays of red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and violet, yet it could not pierce the mist. Stannis withdrew his precious sword with a sense of listlessness.

"Melisandre, you always say that I am the chosen one of R'hllor, Azor Ahai reborn. Yet, why can R'hllor not even display the illusions in the flames? Could it be that I have already lost a round before this battle has even been fought?"

A month ago, Stannis was still at Bitterbridge in The Reach, confronting the famous general of The Reach, Randyll Tarly. Stannis sent troops to attack Bitterbridge three times, but was defeated by Randyll Tarly each time. Subsequently, Stannis attempted to break through the Mander River defensive line from upstream and downstream, only to be thwarted by the joint efforts of Randyll Tarly and Mathis Rowan.

Septa and commoners who escaped from King's Landing brought news that Cersei had destroyed the statues of the Seven in Baelor's Sept and burned the Godswood in the Red Keep. These Septa and commoners begged Stannis to send troops to attack King's Landing and save the city from the hands of the Undead.

Only then did Stannis bring his troops to the Stormlands, stationing them on the south bank of the Blackwater River, waiting for an opportunity to attack King's Landing.

Now, Stannis gazed at the city of King's Landing and said gloomily: "The New and Old Gods have never given me anything, and these pious folk do not love me either. This city of King's Landing has never cheered or shouted for me. Yet, when Corpse Queen Serxi destroyed their New and Old Gods, the pious folk and the hypocritical Septa actually wailed and ran to me for help."

The Onion Knight Davos said: "Your Grace is just. I believe that those Septa taking the news to the Riverlands, The Vale, Dorne, The Reach, and the Westerlands will surely make the pious folk of Westeros see the cruelty and depravity of the Lannister."

Under Davos's suggestion, Stannis sent many Septa and brothers of the Beggar Brotherhood to propagate the news of Serxi's blasphemy against the New and Old Gods throughout Westeros. Davos believed that in this way, at the very least, House Tyrell of The Reach could no longer form an alliance with the Lannister.

Stannis said: "The holy fire cannot see the illusions within King's Landing, so we cannot know the situation inside the city. And we do not have a skinchanger like Wolf King Eddard. What is to be done?"

The Onion Knight Davos said: "Your Grace, the mist is thick. I can row a small boat to the docks of King's Landing to scout. As a smuggler, all of this is second nature to me. King's Landing is the port and city I am most familiar with."

Stannis said: "Onion Knight, your courage is commendable, but doing so is too foolish. Do you think the undead sorcerers will let you scout for information in King's Landing? Without a doubt, the undead sorcerers also possess the ability of prophecy. I have heard that Serxi has hanged many smugglers, and I do not want my Onion Knight to be the next one."

Subsequently, Stannis turned to Melisandre, "Tell me, the scenes you saw in the holy fire before, regarding King's Landing and everything around the Blackwater River, I want to know it all."

The blood-red gem at Melisandre's throat sipped the light, and her eyes flickered, "Your Grace, I see the shadow of an ice dragon shrouding the sky over King's Landing. The Dragonpit on Rhaenys Hill, Baelor's Sept on Visenya's Hill, and the Red Keep on Aegon's High Hill are all placed under the shadow of the ice dragon's death."

"I see the shadow of death gathering in the Kingswood south of the Blackwater River. Yes, that is an army of the Undead."

Thanks to 20230517165547369 for the tip and monthly ticket, thanks to Capricorngoldensaint and the star leaping in the clouds for the monthly tickets, thank you for your support!

(End of this chapter)