Chapter 40

Only after returning to Herlenburg again did Rica feel the city's strangeness and ugliness. Originally, the filth, rotting meat, and bones displayed at the city gate had disappeared, and the area where the city's soldiers mainly gathered had also been cleaned up. But Rica continually felt that somewhere hid the stench of rotting meat and an old moldy smell.

Actually, on the way back from the front battlefield, one could see the castle far away; only after leaving the King's Road and turning onto the fork leading to Herlenburg could he clearly see the five tall towers in the castle. He didn't know who said the names of these five towers, each one speaking of the castle's ominousness—terror, widow, wail, vengeful spirit, burning king—truly I don't know why past lords never changed them to something pleasant; even naming them after thumbs, little fingers, index fingers, etc., would be better!

This is a huge castle, so large that aside from showing the builders' absurdity, it has no practical purpose. It is said that just its great hall has more than thirty fireplaces; Rica doesn't know how extravagant a lord would have to be to light all the fireplaces at once in winter—is it for when all the lords of the world are gathered together?

Unbelievable.

This is a castle he cannot bring himself to like.

Langnü led the great army into Herlenburg through the east gate; upon returning, the Count of Deep Forest Fortress and all the original North captives came out to greet them, among whom Big Fat Willis showed the greatest enthusiasm.

Compared to the other emaciated captives, seeing Willis this fat, Rica always felt he had stolen the food of all the other captives. Rica had heard back in the North that the White Harbor Count himself was even fatter than Willis, and he truly could not imagine what that would look like.

Fat aside, after bathing and grooming his beard (he had no hair), even without wearing attire befitting his status, the big fat man still looked like a graceful northern noble.

The clothes he wore when captured had long been thrown away. What he now wore was a large, warm robe brought from Riverrun by Langnü, specially prepared for the rescued captives; others wearing it looked like miserable refugees, but only he looked spirited in it.

Sir Willis Mandel was bald, with two thick tufts of beard on his upper lip, clearly trimmed neat and tidy, and his chin was clean-shaven.

Seeing Langnü ride into the city on horseback, the big fat man hurried ahead of the crowd, about to salute her still on horseback to express his gratitude; the last time he saw her, he had been immersed in tears of joy the whole time, completely losing his composure.

Langnü quickly dismounted and helped him up.

"Sir, how have you been recovering these past few days?"

"Very well. The count has prepared the best food for us captives and provided the best beds." He laughed, "But I didn't expect the sleeping quarters in Herlenburg to be so large. In the dead of night, without Tibeck's snoring, I actually find it hard to fall asleep—truly embarrassing."

Everyone hearing this burst out laughing.

After everyone had quieted down a bit, the Count of Deep Forest Fortress feigned anger, saying, "Then tonight we'll have to squeeze Tibeck into your room. I'm really worried about how to accommodate so many people in the city!"

"We could stuff them all into a tent." She threw her cloak to George Keiso's hands, "We have no time, count; after we finish our last meal in Herlenburg, we will set out immediately and return to the North."

"Abandon Herlenburg?"

"This city is disgusting; abandoning it is no loss. Or if anyone wants it, they can stay." She glanced around.

"Very well, no fools." She concluded, "On the way home, there may still be fighting. Any news from Black Fish?"

"Leyman Frey and Edwin Frey's heads were sent back to you, sir, on the third day after you left Riverrun. Frey's great army collapsed during the retreat; the two were killed by mercenary knights, their heads snatched back and forth by several groups, and in the end they were still returned to Riverrun. He said he had already prepared them for you."

Rica thought of the Black Fish knight's judgment on Leyman and the others, and indeed it has now come true.

"Prepare them for me?"

"Count Black Fish has had the heads pickled, preparing for you, sir, to dispose of them."

"Ha, does he think I like it? No matter how well he pickles them, it won't earn him any credit. Is there nothing else useful in the letter?"

"He said in the letter that Black Wade had disappeared with a group of people in the vicinity of Stonehard City, and to this day there has been no word of him."

"If Black Wade gets away, it can't be considered revenge."

"Not bad; as long as this person lives, the hatred cannot be quelled."

Rica and George closely followed Langnü, accompanying her into the Hundred Furnace Hall. As she walked, she relayed orders to the nearby officers, having them notify the entire army to prepare immediately to leave the city.

When they reached the hall, she took the head seat directly, waiting for important officers and nobles to be seated. This was clearly another military council.

Rica stood bored behind her, looking at this exaggeratedly huge place. He felt that even if they summoned half the army for a meeting, there would still be plenty of room.

At that moment only the four fireplaces relatively close to the head seat were lit, looking like dim ghostly flames. No matter how bright the sunlight outside, the interior was equally dark and lightless.

The light came not only from those few dim fireplaces but also from four burning tallow candles that gave off a pungent smell; he saw many empty iron candlesticks nearby, not a single candle on any of them.

"During your southern campaign, some lords in the Riverlands have changed banners again, including Count Bracken; considering themselves lucky, we bypassed Raven's Tree City to rescue Riverrun, otherwise we could have annihilated them all beneath Raven's Tree City."

The attendees had not all arrived, so they could only chat idly.

"If that were the case, Bracken would be done for; as long as we block him in Briarwood Valley, not one of them could escape. That deep valley is quite peculiar; I've been there."

"Ha, when I first left the North, heading south, I could have taken the King's Road straight to King's Landing, but thinking of their family's named heart tree, I couldn't resist going to see it; I crossed the Trident River from Harroway's town, then went north through Bracken's lands, and after crossing the Red Fork River I arrived."

Rica only knew that she had once gone south to King's Landing to win the tournament championship, then set sail; he never expected to hear her recount her experiences here, and he felt great curiosity.

"Speaking of which, this also concerns Herlenburg. After I rode across the Trident River, I encountered the retinue of Lady of Riverlands buying supplies, knowing they were headed there, I followed them into Briarwood Valley."

Hehe, the guards of Raven's Tree City wouldn't let a young girl enter, so at night I climbed over their wall and slept atop their wooden fort. The next day, I properly viewed that heart tree in the God's Wood, and only at noon did I swagger out through the gate.

"You are… a thief. Aren't you afraid of being caught?"

"A thief? Her daughter is perfectly fine." She laughed.

"They couldn't possibly catch me; my only worry is that they'd recognize my identity and report it to my father, the Lord of Winterfell, causing him trouble." She said this lightly.

"Ah, I remember this. Lord Edwin always thought you had set sail from White Harbor. He sent many ravens to my father, we scoured the harbor just to find a lone girl. I never imagined you were younger than my daughter, daring to travel the Seven Kingdoms alone—no, the whole world."

If Lord Willis didn't mention his age, no one would guess that the person seated in the place of honor is only sixteen.

"Your daughter?" she asked.

"Ha, I have two daughters. The elder, Werfel, is probably eighteen this year; the younger, Vera, has a bit of a personality, always hard to manage, four years younger than her sister."

"Ha, that's about the same as Rica!" Langnü pointed behind herself.

Rica felt the lords and nobles in the hall focusing their gazes on him; he actually felt his face flush.

"I, I still have a few months before I turn fourteen," he heard himself say.

"Wow, you're already a knight at thirteen! Are you the youngest knight in the North?" he heard Langnü say.

I am the second youngest.

He truly wanted to pray to the gods; the thing he had day‑dreamed about was ignited in this sudden moment. No matter when his knighthood ceremony is scheduled, he can now say he became a knight at thirteen.

"The knighting hasn't come around to me yet." He felt his heart racing; he had just found the moment to voice his wish!

"Well, anyway, the people aren't all here yet, and there are lords and knights as witnesses; this hall was once the king's great hall, so if you don't mind it being less formal, can I start now?" she said to him.

He felt ecstatic, unable to contain his expression, and burst out laughing. Then she rose, drawing the still‑unnamed Valyrian steel sword.

Rica immediately knelt on one knee. Only then did he have the chance to examine closely the Valyrian steel sword he had ever seen.

The Valyrian steel sword's golden hilt is made of several stacked laughing mouths; the curved arc of a smile interlocks one with another, the side of the hilt is engraved with grinning faces, and in the center is a red smile picked out with rubies, mysterious yet comical.

The grip is cast of silver, its surface bare with intricate engravings to allow a firm hold; the main part has been wrapped by her in a layer of thin cowhide.

The pommel at the top of the grip is a red wolf head with fur and whiskers all bristling.

He couldn't understand the more detailed situation.

"Before me is Rica Poole, a close partner of the Poole family of the Stark family. He has followed me south from Winterfell. At Riverrun, he stayed by my side, personally braving arrows and stones, not avoiding danger, breaking through the city gate, entering the enemy camp first, then fighting elsewhere, ultimately securing Riverrun. He is only fourteen years old, bravest among the three armies." He heard her say, feeling dizzy.

He lowered his head. To control his excited emotions, he constantly let his thoughts wander. He widened his eyes. Before him, the Valyrian steel sword was long and slender, with a blood groove on each side of the blade that merged into one at the tip, extending to three inches before the edge, where the blade showed a cold light, dangerous yet elegant; Rica could not describe this beauty.

"In the battle to break the siege, he stayed by my side and attacked the enemy camp..."

Rica felt that the honor of life was greatest at this moment, regardless of past or future.

"Easily taking Harrenhal...... calm and composed, as if entering an uninhabited realm..."

He felt slightly ashamed; the commander dared to take the lead, so he naturally would not admit defeat.

"In the grassland surprise battle, he was the first to break through the enemy formation..."

He felt the weight on his right shoulder.

"I, Maege Stark of Winterfell, a knight personally knighted by King Robert Baratheon I of the Seven Kingdoms, hereby initiate the knighting ceremony, sharing the honor of knighthood with the person before me...... therefore, here......"

"In the name of the gods, I demand that you be brave."

He felt the weight on his left shoulder.

"In the name of the gods, I demand that you be just."

……

"Sir Rica Poole. Please rise." He heard her say.

He blushed and stood up.

When he looked at the hall again, he suddenly felt that holy light emanated from this place; at this moment, this strange castle was no longer so ugly and bizarre.