Chapter 58

Sir, you aren't safe alone, are you?" Earl Seaworth said.

My lord, it's safer alone. The southern war is already over; it's time for me to tie up loose ends.

Earl Saiwen

Sir, what are you planning to do?" Sir Willis asked.

The inconspicuous attendant standing aside, Qiao Ji Kaisuo, also gazed hopefully. If she ran off alone, this little attendant would be embarrassed.

I need to find Ha'erwen; that lad's gotten mixed up with the Brotherhood Without Banners. I don't know if they forced him or what drew him in, making him even forget Winterfell.

Lady Stoneheart is a major hassle that must be dealt with; we also need to get detailed news of Arya from the Brotherhood Without Banners, and even her father Lord Stark's remains have vanished, so we must go to learn in detail what the lady or Robb originally arranged.

Harris Molan

The news she received in Winterfell said that Harisi Molan, Jiekesi, and Xiade were escorting Lord Stark's remains back to Winterfell, but after that there was no word; perhaps the lady could judge where things went wrong.

Just for a guard?" Earl Tao Ha exclaimed.

Aelia

Fool. "The Brotherhood Without Banners roams the whole Riverlands; although they always claim to protect the common folk, they are ultimately a security hazard in the Riverlands, and I must find a way to bring them under control. If one day Ha'erwen is hanged by Lord Stark, that would be a disgrace to the stablemaster who died in King's Landing."

Poor Hulun, he also hopes your head can be found.

Sir, are you being too sentimental?" Earl Seaworth said, "Although you've grown up together since childhood, and I've hunted with him too, but... but, surely not?"

In the eyes of the nobles, the stablemaster's son makes no difference to them whether alive or dead. Meiyi also couldn't say whether Ha'erwen truly influenced her decisions.

Bran

Old Hulun had three sons and two daughters; his eldest son Ha'erwen was a few years older than Robo and the others. As a child, like Bran, he dreamed of becoming a knight. Although he received sword instruction from Rodrik, like Sean he was always defeated by her. His horsemanship was passable, a bit better than Robo's, but in her presence he was merely adequate.

When she returned from overseas, she gave Ha'erwen a set of plate armor in the colors of the House of Helm; the lad loved it so much he couldn't bear to wear it to King's Landing, leaving it in Winterfell as a family heirloom.

However, his brother Ha'erluo, thinking him dead, put on the heirloom and went south with her; now seeing Ha'erluo's grave wounds, we know that armor cannot be intact either.

Meiyi couldn't recall Ha'erwen's younger brother's name; she only knew he once fell from a horse, broke his neck, and died young. That day…

His two sisters married off when Meiyi was still very young. They occasionally come back with their children, but as for their names, Meiyi likewise doesn't remember them clearly.

We don't know whether their husbands are still alive.

Deepforest Castle

Earl of Deepforest

Meiyi had caused him plenty of trouble over horses, especially when she left Winterfell. When she returned to Winterfell, the stablemaster didn't give her a good face; upon hearing that two warhorses had been sold in King's Landing, he flew into a rage, swearing to everyone he'd have nothing more to do with her—but the next day he personally prepared a hunting horse for her.

The past is vivid in her mind; Ha'erwen may not be a sibling, but he's certainly not someone she can easily dismiss as ordinary.

"Not only Ha'erwen, but many other northern warriors are stranded in the Riverlands, including Seaworth, Tao Ha, and even Amber and Karstark; some have fallen into banditry, and I must quickly mop up the remnants." If they truly committed unforgivable crimes, we might as well cut them down on the spot.

"If that's the goal, you should bring more guards; how can you risk going alone?" Sir Laolunsi said.

"For this, a group and a solo actor are about the same, but I move faster alone." More people would only hinder my sword.

Battle of Swiftwater City

Herman Family

Red Fork River

"We can accompany you." Earl Seaworth said, pulling Sir Laolunsi along.

"The dense forests between mountains and rivers hide wolf packs, as well as the retreating northern soldiers; only I can find them. With you around, I'd be hindered, but don't worry—if I find one, I can bring one back."

Dothraki

"No problem, I can let Bolton live a little longer!" she said with a confident smile, "Although he's commanded troops for years, he hasn't won a single decent battle, and compared to you all he's far inferior. Rest assured, I won't be delayed long—I might even return to the North before you."

Thunder King

Moshan

"The Mountains of the Moon have been attacked many times in the Riverlands, yet never successfully."

the North

Amber

Before the camp had even broken, the attendant had already readied her horse and travel gear. Meiyi glanced at the main camp, then leapt onto her horse and rode out through the gate.

The attendant stood rooted in place, waving farewell even as she went far off; seeing this, she couldn't help but smile brightly, patted her horse, let out a long whistle, and galloped ahead along the Riverlands highway.

Blood Play Troupe

Foot Hunters

When the sun fully rose in the east, she had already ridden her horse to the upstream of the knee-deep shoal; she had early seen a grounded boat drifting down from upstream, and as she crossed the Red Fork River with person and horse, that broken vessel could no longer hold and slowly sank into the water.

The horse beneath her was a standard destrier, tall and wholly black, its gait magnificent and imposing; such a black horse is exceedingly rare in the North, naturally valuable, a war prize from the Battle of Riverrun, and it bears a lion brand on its left haunch.

Qiao Ji Kaisuo named the horse "Great Victory," but Meiyi only wanted to call it Black Iron, because its temper is foul—it's truly black and iron.

Great Victory

Black Iron

Stoneheart

Master of Horse

The deep autumn frost made the road surface extremely hard and dry, perfect for warhorses to gallop.

The thunderous hooves shattered the hills' tranquility, and at that moment the seven also spotted her.

Three rode warhorses, one of them a fat man wielding a Dothraki arakh. That single detail pretty much identifies them—as the infamous Brave Companions, the Bloody Mummers, and the Foot-hunters.

"Uuu, are you here to save our goddess?" a footsoldier without a horse shouted, stretching his mouth wide and sticking out his tongue; even so, he could still be called the fairest among them, "I don't need your tenderness—I just want your cute black horse beneath your rear."

Illegitimate child, etc., are excluded.

"The horse is mine, you idiot," he said, his skin dark gray, wearing filthy chainmail, a red ribbon tied on his helmet, holding two spears, one in each hand, with a sword, dagger, and a long whip at his waist—like a Dornishman.

"If you want salvation, I'm here to save you." She answered, then looked at the lead Dothraki horseman, "When will the Dothraki also come to Westeros to earn a living?"

"When someone calls for us." The cavalry a bit behind stepped forward to speak, "The Dothraki can't speak the common tongue, nor can they understand it well."

This person's eyes flashed with red light, hair sparse, complexion pallid, the blood vessels on his face clearly visible.

"Oh, are you the leader of these people?"

Mei's calm composure kept several from acting rashly, but violence was inevitable; in fact, Mei almost wanted to step forward and kill them at once.

What kind of fool would bring such a savage into his own domain? Oh, it turns out to be Lord Taiwen.

"After Waghet died, I'm the chief." He laughed loudly, "My name is Uswick, you heard that—we need your horse and your sword; dismount, toss your sword, and we'll let you go."

"I think you're a bit stupid." Mei said coldly, "Didn't you see that I came looking for you?"

"Hey, monk, you say, could she possibly have been sent by your Seven Gods?" He sized up the newcomer.

"Of course, of course!"

"Are you a monk?" Mei noticed the yellow‑haired, flat‑faced man had already secretly taken down his bow, "I think you lot are the ones sent by the Seven Gods—even your number is exactly seven. But those three have horses to buy their lives; what will the rest of you use to buy yours, monk?"

"How about hanging?" a burst of wild laughter.

"If you're willing." another burst of wild laughter.

The Dothraki shouted a few lines, and the company fell silent.

"The Dothraki order you to take off your clothes. He says he's thirsty," said the leader.

"Cut the chatter, I have just one question," her hand already on the sword hilt, the red gem on the guard flashing rhythmically, her smile growing thick and strange with the light, "You were originally in Herenborg—why are you north of the Red Fork River?"

"After you answer, will you take off your clothes?"

"It depends whether blood will splash on the clothes; I'd guess probably not."

"Ha, go ahead and tell me—it doesn't matter. Bolton is preparing to march from Twin Rivers City down to Saltfield Town; our road home southward has been cut off. The Lion has also put a bounty on our heads. We heard the Wolf has moved south too, so we have no choice but to head north to seek refuge…" He hadn't finished speaking when the spear in his hand thrust toward Mei.

Mei shifted slightly to the side, and the spear slid past her arm.

"Fuck your mother, how do you play dead!" a soldier with small eyes and a big pig‑like nose shouted at the Dornishman.

Mei coldly snorted at them, drew Passion, leapt from her horse, and walked step by step toward them.

The Dothraki raised his curved blade at him and charged.

She flung her sword forward, and Passion instantly pierced his breastplate.

Another spear came flying; Mei side‑kicked, the spear bounced between the two horses, the startled horse reared and dumped its two riders.

Mei stepped forward, drew her sword, and with a single stroke easily disposed of the two who had fallen.

The remaining four infantrymen stared, shocked as if they'd seen a ghost.

Mei stepped forward again and, with a casual sweep, cut down the yellow‑haired fellow who looked like a savage. Valyrian steel easily sliced through the mail covering his throat, and blood welled up, soaking his thick beard.

His bow and arrow went limp and fell to the ground.

Mei gave them no time to flee.

The monk couldn't escape in time, raised his sword to chop at her; she dodged slightly, and her sword pierced his lower abdomen, making him clutch his legs and scream in agony.

The Dornish warrior flung his two spears, drew his longsword, and thrust toward her.

Mei darted forward, easily evaded, struck with a backward elbow, stepped sideways with one leg, the Dornishman went down; Mei then twisted off his sword arm, took his longsword, and drove it through the gap in his opposite armor from the elbow, pinning him fast to the frozen ground.

Another man, seeing this, panicked and fled—though his steps were a bit comical, he ran slowly like a cripple. So Mei crouched, pulled out the dagger still wailing from the Dornishman, and flung it at him.

He hit the ground instantly, letting out a wail.

He too wore mail, so Mei had to aim for his thigh.

Three cavalrymen were taken down with two moves each, all captured; four infantrymen each fell to a single blow, three wounded, one dead.

"Now, can you properly tell me the answer—why are you north of the Red Fork River?"

"Who the hell are you, exactly?"

"Mei Stark."

"Pah!" the Dornishman, even though pinned to the ground, remained "unbowed."

Mei stepped forward, pulled the sword again from the ground where it was stuck, and thrust it once more into the base of both his thighs.

"Not more brutal than what you've done, answer my question, and I'll send you to see the Seven Gods."

"Don't even dream of it, fuck!"

As Mei chopped off his second foot with Passion, he finally readied himself to speak, but having lost too much blood he couldn't finish a full sentence before passing out.

Mei silently thought, "Damn my luck."

As she lifted her blood‑smeared sword toward the curled‑up cripple, he suddenly rolled over and shot a dagger at her, which Mei casually blocked with her sword to the side.

"Shit." He said that and then burst into tears.

"Answer my question." she asked, "Why has the Warrior's Band appeared north of the Red Fork River?"

"Go to hell, fuck!"

"You ought to know, you're not the only one still alive." Mei took away the hand that had thrown the dagger, and he began to howl loudly.

"Come on, speak up!" Mei urged.

Fuck.

"Do as you like, as long as you can manage it." She mimicked those movements and approached the monk.

The monk covered his leg with one hand, the other held up before his eyes, as if checking whether it was blood.

"Monk, please do me a favor and tell me the answer."