Draco, Lord's Residence.
Luke had just returned from the gentle embrace of Earth and set foot once more on Westerosi soil. The mont he stepped out of the secret room, a maid inford him that Arthur urgently requested an audience.
He saw Arthur hurrying over with a grave expression.
"My lord," Arthur said solemnly, "urgent news from King's Landing."
Luke accepted the tea handed to him by maid Annie and took a slow sip.
"Speak."
"King Robert died in a hunting accident. Master of Ships Renly has hastily returned to the Stormlands. Prince Joffrey has already ascended the throne. As for Lord Eddard…"
Arthur paused.
"He has been imprisoned in the Red Keep's dungeons on charges of treason."
Luke's hand holding the teacup paused slightly.
Although he had expected it, hearing the news still stirred so emotion in him.
That "honest man" had finally reached this point.
"When did this happen?"
"It is news from yesterday evening. By now it should have reached the Westerlands."
Arthur produced another letter. "We have just received another letter from Master of Ships Stannis, addressed to all the lords of the Seven Kingdoms."
Luke took the letter and read it carefully.
The content was the sa as in the original story.
Stannis Baratheon declared to all the lords of the Seven Kingdoms that Joffrey and his two siblings were not King Robert's true children, but the incestuous offspring of Queen Cersei and the Kingslayer Jai. As Robert's elder brother, he was the rightful first-in-line heir to the Iron Throne and held legitimate claim to it.
The letter also listed evidence.
Witnesses: forr Hand Jon Arryn and Brandon Stark. Both had been murdered by the Lannisters after discovering this secret. Lord Arryn had been poisoned with the Tears of Lys, and Brandon had been captured through treachery and was now held by Lady Catelyn.
Physical evidence: the results of investigations into Robert's bastards, and the Baratheon family's "strong seed" bloodline — black hair and black eyes passed down through generations, regardless of the mother's hair color.
Finally, Stannis called upon all noble lords to support his ascension to the Iron Throne.
Anyone who followed the usurper Joffrey would be considered a traitor!
After reading the letter, Luke fell into thought for a mont.
Cersei had torn up the King's will, claiming it was forged by Eddard Stark. Eddard's coup had failed, and he had been arrested.
Everything was proceeding along the established path.
He raised his head, his gaze calm.
"Lucas."
Family Guard Captain Lucas imdiately stepped forward and gave a crisp military salute.
"Present!"
"Send one infantry company and one archer company to reinforce the defenses at White Ridge Pass," Luke said unhurriedly but with unquestionable authority. "Additionally, dispatch three more infantry companies and two archer companies to garrison White Ridge Fortress."
Lucas stood straight. "Understood!"
"Conduct day-and-night reconnaissance and strengthen personnel screening," Luke continued. "Only rchants and refugees are allowed to pass. All suspicious individuals are to be denied entry. Anyone attempting to force their way through…"
He paused.
"May be shot dead with arrows on sight!"
Lucas's eyes sharpened as he saluted again. "Understood!"
He turned and left, his armor clinking crisply.
Luke then turned to Arthur.
"Have the Ministry of Works expand the refugee camps."
Arthur nodded, understanding perfectly.
"War is coming," Luke said. "Draco's population is about to explode."
"We will sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight. Let the bullets fly for a while and let these natives beat each other's brains out. When the ti cos to implent new policies across the Seven Kingdoms, the resistance will be much smaller."
The two discussed the territory's livelihood and employnt issues further — grain reserves, material allocation, job arrangents… Every detail needed to be planned in advance to handle the coming wave of refugees.
After Arthur withdrew, Luke summoned Aurora.
The head of the Web appeared silently in the study like a ghost.
"My lord."
"Can our agents in King's Landing reach the Red Keep's dungeons?"
Aurora thought for a mont. "It is possible, but the risk is high. The dungeons are heavily guarded, with gold cloaks patrolling day and night. A forced rescue would likely result in heavy losses."
Luke nodded.
"No forced rescue," he said. "Have them closely monitor the situation in the dungeons and look for opportunities. If a chance arises, try to rescue Eddard Stark."
Aurora looked at him with slight surprise.
"My lord, you wish to save the Lord of the North?"
Luke smiled.
"He is a good man. There aren't many good n in this world. Saving one is one."
Aurora nodded thoughtfully and vanished into the shadows.
Several days later, another piece of news spread across the Seven Kingdoms.
Renly Baratheon of the Stormlands declared to all the lords: his brother King Robert had nad him heir on his deathbed. He would raise an army to overthrow the usurper Joffrey, reclaim the Iron Throne, and called upon all noble lords to support his legitimate claim.
One Stannis, one Renly.
Two brothers, both coveting their brother's throne.
At the sa ti, news ca from the Westerlands.
Tywin Lannister had ordered Jai Lannister to lead fifteen thousand n eastward from the Golden Tooth. The golden lion banners were flying once more — war was imminent.
The Web's spies also discovered that, two days earlier, more than a dozen small groups had slipped into the Riverlands from the Crownlands and the Westerlands.
Spies, assassins, agents…
A storm was coming.
The North, Winterfell.
Robb Stark, the Young Wolf, stood in the great hall, holding a letter in his hand.
It was a letter from his sister Sansa. She wrote that their father, Lord Eddard, had been imprisoned for treason. King Joffrey demanded that Robb personally travel to King's Landing to swear fealty to the new king.
He took a deep breath.
It was indeed Sansa's handwriting. But the tone and wording were nothing like her.
Was she being coerced, or…
He looked at Maester Luwin.
"Summon all the bannern."
Maester Luwin looked at him with slight hesitation. "All of them, my lord?"
Robb asked in return, "They all swore to fight for my father, didn't they?"
A hint of relief flashed in Maester Luwin's eyes.
"As you command, my lord!"
Soon, all the Northern lords gathered at Winterfell.
Lord Roose Bolton of the Dreadfort, Lord Rickard Karstark of Karhold, Lord Greatjon Umber of Last Hearth, Lord Wyman Manderly of White Harbor, the Glovers of Deepwood Motte, the Mormonts of Bear Island… banners fluttered in the hall as the Northern lords stood with grave expressions.
Robb stood at the head of the table, trying his best to appear more imposing.
He had only recently co of age and was still very young. Speaking before so many "great lords" for the first ti, his voice inevitably trembled slightly.
"My lords," he began, "my father — your liege lord, Eddard Stark, Lord of the North — has been imprisoned through treachery."
Everyone fell silent, listening to the young man's voice.
"Joffrey is not the King's true son. The Lannisters are ambitious and have now taken my father and two sisters hostage. I must rescue them."
He took a deep breath, his voice growing firr.
"Therefore, we will march south with our army and attack King's Landing. We will force the Lannister bastard to release my father and sisters. You all swore fealty to my father. Now, he needs you."
The lords exchanged glances.
March south?
Attack King's Landing?
That ant crossing half of Westeros and facing the Lannister army head-on.
Many eyes showed hesitation.
More importantly, they sowhat looked down on this teenage Young Wolf.
Could a boy truly lead an army to war?
Lord Rickard Karstark was the first to speak up.
"We can march south," his voice was rough and arrogant, "but I must be the vanguard. Otherwise, I will return to my own lands."
This was a direct challenge to the Young Wolf's authority.
The hall fell silent. Everyone watched Robb, waiting to see how this young lord would respond.
A flash of anger appeared in Robb's eyes.
He stood up and looked straight at Karstark without flinching.
"You are welco to do so. After we finish dealing with the Lannisters, I will imdiately turn the army north, drag you out of your castle, and hang you as an oathbreaker."
Karstark's face turned deep red.
The word "oathbreaker" stung him deeply.
He slamd the table and stood up, hand moving toward his sword.
The other Northern lords also rose, tension filling the air as swords were nearly drawn.
Robb's heart pounded wildly.
He had never faced such a situation before.
But he knew he could not back down.
He spoke slowly, his voice calm yet authoritative:
"Lord Karstark, my father once said that if a vassal draws his sword before his liege, that is treason! Are you drawing your sword to help cut at?"
He gave the man an escape.
Karstark clutched his bleeding hand, his face pale and livid. He looked at Robb, at the direwolf crouched beside its master, and at the other lords watching like spectators. Finally, he released his sword hilt.
"The roast at at Winterfell is truly tough!" Karstark forced a loud laugh. "Hahaha…"
The atmosphere in the hall gradually eased.
The lords now looked at Robb with different eyes.
This young man was not so easy to bully. He remained calm in crisis and had the bearing of a direwolf.
Several days later, the Northern army was fully assembled.
The direwolf banners snapped in the cold wind. More than ten thousand elite Northern soldiers marched south in a mighty column.
Young Wolf Robb Stark rode at the head of the army. Beside him was Grey Wind, the direwolf bonded to his soul.
War was now unavoidable.
And all of this was seen and recorded by the Web's spies, then delivered to Draco.
Luke read the intelligence in his hands, the corners of his mouth curving into a faint smile.
The North had begun its march south.
The Westerlands had begun marching east.
The Stormlands was stirring as well.
The War of the Five Kings was about to begin.
And he only needed to sit here and watch quietly.
Once they had fought each other to exhaustion, he would step forward to clean up the ss.
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