Deepwood Motte, Hall of a Thousand Beasts.
Garon led Lady Maege Mormont and her daughters into the great hall.
By this ti, Chief Steward Mormont had already arranged the long table within the hall.
The table was filled with drinks and several trays of snacks.
Lady Maege's eyes shifted slightly. She and her daughter Dacey had already seen the beast skulls decorating the Hall of a Thousand Beasts several tis before, so their reactions were naturally calm.
Only her youngest daughter, Lyanna, seeing the hall for the first ti, could not help but softly exclaim in surprise.
Imdiately, everyone's attention turned toward her.
Dacey gently pulled Lyanna closer and quietly explained the history behind the Hall of a Thousand Beasts.
anwhile, Garon invited Lady Maege to sit at the long table, personally poured her a cup of ale, and said warmly,
"You've traveled a long way, Lady Mormont. Why not eat sothing and rest for a while first?"
Lady Maege shook her head decisively.
"Ti is precious. Let's discuss the important matters first."
Garon readily agreed.
"Very well, please sit."
Only after Lady Maege sat down did Garon take the seat opposite her, while Chief Steward Mormont quietly stood behind him.
As for Dacey and Lyanna, after whispering briefly to one another, they quickly moved to their mother's side and sat down as well.
"I presu, Lady Maege, that you have already received Winterfell's letter."
"Regarding the Ironborn who killed Mormont n upon Bear Island, I also encountered and killed several Ironborn during my patrol at Sea Dragon Point."
"After questioning them, I learned that Balon Greyjoy's daughter seems intent on taking revenge upon the North."
Garon concisely recounted everything he had discovered during his patrol of Sea Dragon Point a month earlier.
Lady Maege nodded, indicating she already understood the situation.
"The Ironborn are clearly stirring again, and we should prepare as much as possible."
"Garon, I propose that our two houses organize several warships to patrol Ice Bay."
"Once Ironborn are discovered, we should imdiately destroy them."
Maege's voice carried unconcealed killing intent. She deeply hated the Ironborn who had invaded Bear Island and murdered her people.
At this mont, she wished she could imdiately sail against Pyke herself.
However, Garon calmly shook his head and analyzed the situation rationally.
"House Glover possesses only two warships, and both are mainly used for transport and travel."
"Lady Maege, I imagine Bear Island's situation is much the sa?"
Maege's expression froze slightly before she nodded.
Ever since Brandon the Burner destroyed the Northern fleets centuries ago, the North had never rebuilt any true naval power.
Most coastal Northern lords possessed no more than two or three oared ships at best.
Trying to confront the Iron Islands, masters of naval warfare, using such a pitiful force would truly be no different from smashing eggs against stone.
"Currently, in the entire North, aside from White Harbor, even if all the coastal houses pooled together their ships, they still could not form a proper fleet."
Garon spoke solemnly.
"Lady Maege, we cannot use our weakness to strike at their strength."
After thinking carefully, Maege reluctantly agreed before asking,
"Then what do you plan to do?"
Garon had already prepared his strategy.
"Previously, I established five outposts across Sea Dragon Point."
As he spoke, he dipped a finger into his ale and drew a triangular formation across the tabletop while explaining to Lady Maege.
"Each outpost is positioned so that it can communicate with two others."
"They are all built upon high ground and separated by carefully asured distances."
"Once Ironborn appear, smoke signals can imdiately be used to issue warnings."
"Then I can rapidly organize troops and decisively strike the Ironborn after they land."
Maege listened seriously while continuously considering the practicality of the plan.
Bear Island was entirely different from Deepwood Motte.
The island was surrounded by sea on all sides, and nearly every direction offered landing points.
Furthermore, most of Bear Island's population lived scattered along the coastline.
Many tis, the Ironborn could plunder villages and retreat before House Mormont even received the news.
If the attacked village happened to be remote, by the ti Maege arrived with her forces, several days would already have passed and everything would be over.
"If Bear Island copied your strategy directly, by the ti my n arrived, the Ironborn would already have sailed back into the sea."
After considering it, she felt the effect would likely be limited.
Garon naturally understood this point very clearly.
Thus, he slowly revealed the second half of his plan.
"That is why I also established an outpost at the highest coastal point of Sea Dragon Point."
"Whenever the weather is clear, a Myrish looking glass can be used to observe abnormalities upon the sea."
Garon looked directly at Lady Maege while gently persuading her.
"Myrish looking glasses are exquisite tools, Lady Maege."
"You would only need to set up several looking glasses upon Bear Island to receive the warning signals from Sea Dragon Point."
The mont his words fell, Maege's expression imdiately beca conflicted.
Naturally, she understood how valuable Myrish looking glasses were.
Unfortunately, their prices were equally astonishing.
Ever since Jorah Mormont disgraced House Mormont and squandered its wealth, Bear Island had beco painfully poor.
Even if she wished to buy one, she likely could not gather enough gold dragons.
Garon imdiately noticed the source of her hesitation.
His thoughts shifted quickly before he spoke understandingly.
"Lady Maege, when I captured one of the n involved in harming Bran Stark within the Wolfswood, I recovered a considerable amount of gold dragons from him."
"I already sent that money to Winterfell and asked Maester Luwin to help purchase several looking glasses."
"In the end, the Maester ordered more than I actually need."
"I cannot use them all myself, so perhaps you should take several first, Lady Maege."
Maege was instantly stunned.
"How can I possibly accept such a thing..."
Garon imdiately interrupted her with a smile.
"Lady Maege, what are you saying?"
"Our two houses have stood together since ancient tis, advancing and retreating side by side. Why should we distinguish so clearly between one another?"
Maege Mormont possessed a straightforward and forthright personality.
Hearing Garon speak this way, she no longer refused and accepted his goodwill openly.
"In that case, I shall accept them."
"In the future, should Deepwood Motte ever require anything, House Mormont will never refuse your call."
And that statent was precisely what Garon wanted.
His face remained full of smiles, but inwardly he thought,
"The Mormonts have remained loyal to House Stark for generations. I will slowly draw them closer to ."
"When the great war truly begins, as long as Bear Island cooperates properly, they may be enough to influence the tide of battle."
With those thoughts in mind, Garon continued discussing the details of the outpost system with Lady Maege.
After finalizing how to respond to the Ironborn threat, the tense atmosphere inside the hall gradually eased.
At that mont, an intense wave of cheering suddenly erupted from outside the hall.
The group could vaguely hear the repeated shouting of the na "Jon," causing Dacey and Lyanna to glance repeatedly toward the hall entrance.
Seeing this, Garon explained with a smile,
"It seems the competition between the two teams has just ended."
"The winner should be Jon Snow."
"Jon Snow? The Duke of Winterfell's bastard son?"
Maege had heard so rumors regarding Eddard Stark's bastard, so she asked curiously.
Garon nodded.
"Yes. Lord Stark previously arranged for him to serve as my squire."
He briefly explained Jon's situation to everyone present.
Maege quickly understood and did not dwell on the matter further.
She herself held no prejudice toward bastards.
After all, she had borne five daughters herself, and no one truly knew who their fathers were.
Strictly speaking, their circumstances were not much different from those of bastards.
Yet Maege cared little for such things and openly gave all her daughters the Mormont na.
Several more minutes passed.
Robert, having finished supervising the training grounds, entered the hall together with his wife and children to greet House Mormont.
He was already very familiar with Maege.
After the two warmly embraced, they began introducing the younger mbers of their respective families.
Robert subtly arranged for his son to accompany Lyanna around the inner castle.
Maege rely smiled and offered no objection.
As dusk gradually approached, Chief Steward Mormont instructed the servants to begin preparing dinner for their honored guests.
Soon, a lavish feast was arranged.
And just as Garon was fulfilling his duties as host while entertaining Lady Maege and House Mormont, far away upon the Iron Islands, Balon Greyjoy was also speaking with his daughter.
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