Northern Army Camp, Commander's Tent.
Robb Stark sat inside the main command tent, clutching a letter in his hand.
The letter had co from Draco — a personal letter from Luke Jaqenion. The paper was exquisite, the handwriting neat, carrying an indescribable sense of pressure.
The content was simple: it demanded that he lead all the Northern lords in submitting to Draco and swearing fealty to Luke Jaqenion. Otherwise, the North would face the punishnt of the Seven Gods and suffer total destruction.
After reading the letter, Robb's expression shifted from confusion to speechlessness, then from speechlessness to mockery.
He slamd the letter onto the table.
"That little baron has gone mad."
He stood up and began pacing back and forth inside the tent.
"He actually calls himself Protector of the Realm? He wants to fight for the Iron Throne too? On what grounds? With those Southerners' deceptive religious tricks?"
He let out a scornful laugh.
"And he even claims that the Others from the lands of eternal winter beyond the Wall have awakened and are going to attack the Wall? Ridiculous!"
At that mont, a delicate hand reached out and gently rested on Robb's shoulder.
Robb turned his head. Most of the anger on his face instantly lted away.
It was a very beautiful young woman with refined features, giving off a gentle and charming impression. Her eyes were bright and deep, as if they could see into people's hearts. Though she was not of high birth, her figure was well-proportioned and graceful, exuding a unique aura: not delicate like a noble lady, but carrying a natural poise.
Her na was Talisa Maegyr.
She ca from Volantis in Essos and was a battlefield nurse.
The two had t not long ago during the Battle of the Ruby Ford. At that ti, she had questioned him: "You raise an army to overthrow a king, yet you have no plan for what cos after… With you here, many people are suffering!"
The young nurse's upright and cool attitude had fatally attracted the teenage Robb. He had fallen in love with this kind and gentle girl at first sight.
Afterward, Talisa had carefully tended to the wounded Robb. The two soon fell deeply in love. She beca his "personal attendant" and lived with him in the sa tent.
When a boy and a girl live together, rolling in the sheets is inevitable.
Robb had already forgotten that he still had a betrothal with House Frey of the Twins.
Talisa picked up the leaflets on the table. These were the ones that had fallen from the sky into the Northern camp not long ago.
"Are the Others really real?" she asked softly.
Robb scoffed.
"These are all Southerners' sches and tricks. Not long ago, Tywin also used underhanded sches to murder my father."
His thoughts were chaotic, and a trace of pain flashed in his eyes.
Talisa said nothing. She simply leaned in and offered a kiss.
Robb was montarily stunned, then responded passionately.
After all, they were now "husband and wife."
Just today, in order to protect Talisa's honor, Robb Stark had married her in broad daylight.
The next day.
The sound of urgent hoofbeats ca from outside the tent.
Catelyn Tully had rushed back from Riverrun. She lifted the tent flap and saw her son embracing the unfamiliar girl. Her face instantly turned iron-grey.
"Robb Stark!"
Her voice was sharp and piercing.
"What are you doing?!"
Robb stood up, looking at his mother with so guilt.
Catelyn strode forward, pointed at Talisa, and unleashed a torrent of scolding at her son.
"You are already betrothed to House Frey! This is breaking your word and betraying an ally! Your father's responsibilities have fallen on your shoulders — this is a heavy burden! How could you…"
Robb tried to explain, but Catelyn gave him no chance.
After a long while, Catelyn finally ran out of steam.
The deed was done. There was nothing she could do to undo it.
The two discussed having Uncle Edmure marry one of Walder Frey's daughters instead. After all, Edmure would inherit Riverrun and was a lord in his own right — a duke, even — so it would not be beneath House Frey.
Only then did Catelyn's anger ease slightly.
She turned and gave her new daughter-in-law Talisa a disapproving look.
Her gaze swept from head to toe, then from toe to head.
Finally, her eyes settled on Talisa's hips.
Slender figure, but generous hips.
Hm, good for bearing children.
Catelyn's expression softened a little.
She wasn't completely unreasonable.
Harrenhal.
Jai Lannister and his father Tywin were also discussing Luke Jaqenion's actions.
Their camp had also received the leaflets that had fallen from the sky. Tywin had received Luke's outrageous demand for the Westerlands to submit unconditionally.
Jai held one of the leaflets, which showed a photo of Luke flying in the air.
He looked at it again and again, swallowing hard.
"Father… can this Luke… really fly?"
His voice was uncertain.
"Does he truly have magic? Otherwise, how do you explain these papers and images? Could the news about the white walkers and Others beyond the Wall… actually be true?"
Tywin narrowed his eyes, his voice cold.
"Even if he really can fly and knows so little tricks, so what?"
He stood up, walked to the window, and looked into the distance.
"Back then, the Targaryen family's dragons could not only fly, but also breathe fire — and there was more than one dragon. Even they could not make the entire Seven Kingdoms submit completely!"
He turned around, his gaze sharp as a blade.
"A little upstart who has mastered so unknown tricks dares to speak so arrogantly? The Iron Throne belongs to the Westerlands! Our House Lannister has sched for countless years. We will not stop here!"
Jai looked at his father and said nothing more.
But deep in his heart, a faint sense of unease stirred.
King's Landing, Red Keep.
Acting Hand Tyrion Lannister sat in the Hand's seat in the Tower of the Hand, also holding Luke's personal letter.
He read it for a long ti.
Then he smiled — a smile filled with unmistakable bitterness and worry.
He hadn't expected his friend to be so… badass?
This was a word he had learned from Luke, and it fit perfectly here.
He knew Luke's "miraculous" nature better than anyone. His eyes were fixed on the content about the Others beyond the Wall. He did not believe Luke was making empty claims… but he was a mber of House Lannister!
Beside him, Joffrey was raging.
"That fellow dares to call himself Protector of the Realm, and he even wants to abdicate and hand over King's Landing?! I'll kill him! I'll have him torn to pieces!"
Tyrion ignored this foolish nephew of his.
He was thinking about the authenticity of the "Others beyond the Wall" ntioned in the letter.
In truth, everyone still rembered the letter the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch had sent to all the lords about the "resurrection of the Others." They simply didn't dare believe it — or didn't want to.
Now the matter had been brought up again, and in such a grand fashion.
That clown Luke Jaqenion demanded that all nobles of the Seven Kingdoms — from dukes down to barons — must travel to Draco within half a year to pay him homage and swear fealty to him!
He wanted to build a great army to "fight the Others" and support the Wall.
Tyrion took a deep breath.
Half a year.
He was curious to see what the world would look like in half a year.
In the current situation in the South, no one was willing to surrender!
Everyone was fighting for the Iron Throne. Who cared about so coming flood?
Dragonstone.
Stannis Baratheon viciously tore up the letter demanding his unconditional submission.
He ordered a thorough investigation.
Soon, he arrested several rchants who had been secretly selling "dragon glass" to Draco. Among them were even so of his own officials — trusted aides.
Stannis was rciless.
He ordered them all executed.
The "traitors" were dragged to the execution platform and burned alive as offerings to the "Red God"!
Their screams were blood-curdling!
The dragon glass smuggling business was shut down!
The Iron Islands, Pyke.
Theon Greyjoy had finally returned to the "holand" he had left nine years ago.
He rode his horse toward Pyke. Along the way, he was filled with the expectation of "returning ho in glory." He thought he would receive a warm welco.
However, no one paid him any attention.
He got lost.
If he hadn't happened to et a woman heading to the castle, he wouldn't even have found his way ho.
The woman rode a horse, dressed in ironborn clothing, looking valiant and heroic. She said she could give him a ride since they were going the sa way.
Theon rode behind her on the sa horse, shalessly flirting and groping her!
"You can stay in the castle tonight," he said proudly. "In the future, you can tell your children and grandchildren about our story."
The woman turned her head and gave him a strange look.
"How could I tell children about sothing like that?"
Theon didn't understand what she ant and continued boasting.
It wasn't until he t his father that he learned… the woman was actually his own sister, Asha Greyjoy.
In that instant, the embarrassnt was so intense he could have dug a three-bedroom apartnt with his toes.
However, that wasn't even the worst part.
He had thought his father would be overjoyed by his return. Instead, he was scolded rcilessly.
After reading Robb Stark's personal letter, Balon Greyjoy slamd it onto the table.
He glared at the son in front of him, who looked more like a "southern softboy" than an ironborn!
"You dress like a Southerner and talk like a Southerner," Balon said coldly. "You are a Stark, not a Greyjoy."
Theon was stunned.
He personally relayed Robb's alliance proposal: if the Iron Islands attacked the Westerlands from the western coast, Robb would recognize Balon as King of the Iron Islands after victory.
Balon scoffed at the offer.
He had no interest in Robb's rewards. What he wanted was to take advantage of the North's vulnerability and invade it himself. Using the iron price — that is, plunder! To take back what belonged to him.
"Nine years ago, the Iron Islands were defeated by the North and the Baratheons," Balon said coldly. "We are mortal enemies with the North. Why would I ever help them? Have you gone mad?!"
Theon was dumbfounded. He had been completely ignored by his father.
In Balon's eyes, this son who had been sent away as a hostage was no longer an "ironborn." He valued his daughter Asha far more — the child who had grown up on the Iron Islands and understood ironborn traditions.
Now, this "hostage" had returned.
That ant the Iron Islands no longer had to hold back.
They could raid the North without fear.
Theon stared blankly at his father.
His father was saying, "Robb Stark is truly just like his father — a self-righteous fool."
Theon opened his mouth, wanting to say sothing.
But nothing ca out.
He stood there, feeling for the first ti… that he was neither a Stark nor a Greyjoy.
He was nothing.
But the blood of "Greyjoy" flowed in his veins. He was an ironborn, and he would prove that he was an ironborn!
--------------------------
Support us on P@tre0n and gain access to 100 chapters in advance!
[email protected]/inkshield
User Comments
0 comments from readers