The following day, the first beam of morning sunlight spilled through the heavy window frames of the Gates of the Moon, scattering across the guest bedroom.
Galon awoke from his deep sleep, feeling a faint, sharp sting from the wound on his left arm.
Almost immediately afterward, he felt enveloped by a soft, warm touch.
He looked down.
Mya was curled up in his embrace like a gentle kitten, sleeping soundly.
Her messy black hair rested playfully against Galon's solid chest, and the golden sunlight gilded her long eyelashes with a warm halo.
As if sensing Galon's movement, Mya's long eyelashes fluttered a few times before she slowly opened her clear blue eyes.
When she clearly recognized the handsome face right before her, a captivating blush instantly flushed across her features.
"My lord..."
Mya instinctively tried to sit up, but Galon's powerful arm pulled her right back into his chest.
"Lie down a little longer," Galon said softly, stroking her smooth back.
Mya obediently leaned against his chest, listening to his steady, powerful heartbeat.
A feeling she had never experienced before, a sense of quiet joy and utter peace, completely wrapped around her.
If she could, she wished time would stop forever at this exact moment.
"My lord... will you stay here for a long time?" Mya asked, her eyes full of hope even though she knew in her heart it was impossible.
"No, a few days at most," Galon replied calmly. "As soon as the supplies and logistics are prepared, we will set out immediately and return to the Riverlands. The war is still waiting for me."
In an instant, Mya's heart felt as if an invisible hand had gripped it tightly, sending a sharp wave of sorrow through her.
"A few days... so short?"
She buried her face deeper into his chest, not wanting Galon to see the disappointment in her eyes.
Leaning back against the pillow, Galon's eyes flickered slightly as he easily guessed what was going through Mya's mind.
'Well, my efforts yesterday finally won this girl over completely,' he thought.
'This way, even if I really push her onto the Iron Throne in the future, I will still be able to influence her decisions.'
Back during the Trial of Seven, when Galon abandoned the idea of placing Sansa on the throne and shifted to supporting Robert's bastard, his goal had been to control a bastard with weak roots as much as possible, clearing the path for his own future.
Mya Stone was his provisional choice.
Because of this, Galon had put in extra effort last night, aiming to leave the deepest possible impression in Mya's mind and maximize his influence over her.
'Ah, the things I do for the Iron Throne!'
Galon thought, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips as he moved his hand to offer her further comfort.
Right at that moment, an ill-timed knock sounded against the door.
"Lord Glover, are you awake?"
It was Andar Royce.
"My father says that if you have finished your morning exercise, please head to the council chamber as soon as possible.
The fate of the entire Vale is still waiting for you to decide!"
His humorous tone carried a hint of subtle teasing.
Mya's face turned instantly red, as if blood were about to seep out.
She hurriedly broke away from Galon's arms, scrambling in a panic to gather her clothes scattered across the floor.
Galon gave a helpless smile and called out toward the door, "Understood, Ser Royce. I will be there shortly!"
Andar let out a hearty laugh and turned to walk away.
Galon stood up, stretched his arms slightly, and stepped out of bed.
With Mya serving him bashfully yet with absolute tenderness, he was dressed in no time.
Mya straightened the edges of his tunic, making sure there were no wrinkles, and then could not help but raise her head to gaze at him blankly.
"What is it?" Galon smiled, pinching her cheek lightly.
"It is nothing." Mya shook her head, using her expressive eyes to carve his image deep into her heart.
Galon naturally understood the young girl's feelings.
Leaning down, he kissed her gently on the forehead and offered a word of reassurance.
"Once I finish discussing matters with them, I will come back to find you."
Mya nodded obediently.
Galon smiled, turned, pushed open the door, and walked toward the council chamber.
After he left, Mya tidied up her own appearance and left Galon's room with mixed emotions.
A moment later, Galon's figure appeared before the heavy doors of the council hall. As he stepped inside, Lord Royce and all the core lords of the Vale were already waiting.
Seeing Galon walk in, knowing smiles passed among the men.
Galon accepted their glances with complete composure and walked to the front of the gathering.
"My lords, time is pressed," he said, cutting straight to the point. "How is the collection of grain and supply logistics progressing?"
Lord Royce's expression turned stern as he reported:
"It is nearly complete. Only a small portion of men are still escorting supplies on their way here.
They are expected to arrive tomorrow at the earliest."
Lord Royce harbored no resentment over the outcome of the Trial of Seven. He laid out the Vale's current situation and troop counts entirely before Galon.
Over the next four to five hours, Galon and the high lords of the Vale engaged in an intense, highly efficient discussion surrounding every detail of the deployment.
Ultimately, under Galon's final call, the official date for the march was set for three days later.
When the meeting concluded and the other lords began leaving one after another, Lord Royce called out to Galon.
"Lord Glover, please wait a moment."
Galon was somewhat surprised and turned to Yohn. "Lord Royce, is there something else?"
Only the two of them remained inside the quiet hall.
"It is regarding Mya..."
Before Lord Royce could finish his sentence, Galon had already guessed what he wanted to say, feigning confusion.
"Mya?"
He paused briefly, probing, "Is my lord blaming me for sleeping with her last night?"
Lord Royce shook his head and spoke slowly, "Heh, of course not."
"For a figure like you, Lord Glover, if this were an ordinary tourney, the noble ladies of the Vale would be climbing into your bed night after night.
I simply wanted to inform you that Mya's identity is... unusual."
Galon remained silent. He knew the main topic was coming.
Sure enough, Lord Royce stared into Galon's eyes and said in a grave voice, "She is King Robert Baratheon's eldest daughter."
Galon feigned shock, an unusual look flickering in his eyes as he pretended to be surprised. "Lady Mya is King Robert's bastard daughter?"
"Yes, she was born back when King Robert was still Old Lord Arryn's ward."
Lord Royce glossed over Robert's past courtships, a sharp light glinting in his eyes as he tentatively brought up his idea.
"Lord Glover, you mentioned earlier that you wished to raise Robert's bastard as king.
Do you think it would be feasible for us to support Mya as queen?"
Galon's eyes flickered as he instantly grasped the man's underlying intention.
'Old fox, he is testing me,' Galon thought.
'He didn't bring this up earlier or later, choosing to say it right after I slept with Mya.'
'He wants to leverage last night's affair to make me agree to support Mya, securing a far greater future for the Vale!'
'But this happens to align perfectly with my own plans!'
Galon pretended to hesitate for a long moment before speaking slowly in an uncertain tone, as if weighing the pros and cons.
"Support... Mya as queen? My apologies, my lord, I am simply too astonished..." He paused, organizing his words carefully.
"I hold no prejudice against Lady Mya, but should we not consider such a matter with extreme caution?"
Galon looked at Lord Royce and spoke solemnly, "I am certainly willing to support Lady Mya, but you must realize, my lord, that I am not the sole decision-maker for the North and the Riverlands."
"To make this decision, I need to obtain the agreement of Lord Edmure of the Riverlands and House Stark of the North!"
Lord Royce nodded.
He naturally knew that crowning Mya could not be finalized on the spot; all he needed was Galon's stance.
Now, Galon's affirmative attitude brought a satisfied smile to Lord Royce's face.
'As long as Glover agrees, given his prestige in the North and the Riverlands, this matter is already more than half done,' Lord Royce thought to himself.
"Lord Glover makes a valid point," Lord Royce said, shifting the topic back to the West and South.
"Our immediate priority remains defeating the Lannisters."
Galon tacitly moved past the subject as well, as if neither of them had ever brought up Mya becoming queen.
After chatting for a few more minutes, the two concluded their conversation.
Galon took his leave from Lord Royce.
Exiting the council hall, he intended to seek out Mya to further deepen their bond.
However, a servant girl stepped out from behind a nearby stone pillar.
"Lord Glover, Lady Catelyn wishes to see you. She hopes you can meet her immediately!"
Galon stopped in his tracks and said at once, "Very well, I will go now."
Looking into the servant girl's eyes, he asked, "Do you know why Lady Catelyn is so eager to see me?"
The servant girl giggled, teasing, "Does my lord truly not know? It is naturally because of your romantic affairs!"
Galon froze for a second, then gave a bitter smile.
Without further small talk with the girl, he walked briskly toward Lady Catelyn's quarters.
Along the way, he contemplated how to explain things to Catelyn. A few minutes later, Galon stood before her door and knocked.
"Lady Catelyn, it is I, Galon!"
Inside, Catelyn coughed softly twice before calling out, "Please, come in."
Galon pushed open the door, and a wave of sweltering heat hit him in the face.
Because of her injuries, Catelyn could not bear the cold, so the hearth in her room burned day and night.
Galon looked over and saw Catelyn leaning against her pillows, breathing heavily.
"My lady, has your condition worsened again?" He walked forward quickly, asking with genuine concern.
Catelyn shook her head. "Cough... I will not die just yet. Galon, have you and Lord Royce decided when to march?"
Galon replied, "In three days. Once the final batch of supplies gathers tomorrow, we will rest for two days before setting out."
Catelyn looked gaunt and exhausted, nodding feebly.
"Good, that is good! Once we return to the Riverlands, send someone to escort me back to Winterfell. I must take the bodies of Robb and Rickon home."
Galon showed worry on his face.
"My lady, your body cannot withstand the cold.Why not let me send you to Riverrun to rest and recover for a time?
Once your health improves, it won't be too late to return to Winterfell."
Catelyn shook her head, her voice weak.
"I know my own body.
I fear I will struggle to survive this coming winter. I only wish to see Sansa and Bran one last time before I die.
Galon, for the sake of Ned and Robb, I hope you can promise me a few things!"
Hearing this, Galon answered immediately, "Yes, my lady, speak."
Catelyn turned her head toward him, speaking softly:
"I know that waging war is extremely grueling and the pressure immense, so you need an outlet.
I can understand that. Ned was the same way back then.
But Galon, I ask only one thing of you:
Before you marry Sansa and father a child with her, do not have any bastards!
Do you understand?"
Galon understood her meaning and agreed right away. "Yes, my lady."
Seeing his compliance, Catelyn's expression softened considerably.
"There is one more thing, the most important one." She stared intently at Galon, reaching out to grasp his sleeve.
"Regardless of how our war with the Lannisters turns out, you must bring Ned's remains back to Winterfell!
And if possible, find Arya, whether she is alive or dead!"
Galon gently patted Catelyn's cold hand and swore solemnly, "My lady, I swear in the names of the New Gods and the Old that I will bring Lord Ned's bones back to Winterfell."
"Furthermore, I will take the lives of Joffrey and Stannis to offer as sacrifices for House Stark!"
Catelyn offered a comforting smile. Releasing Galon's sleeve, she slowly closed her eyes.
"Go attend to your business. Before returning to Winterfell, I must rest well!"
Galon said no more. Stepping back softly, he turned and left the room.
After Galon closed the door behind him, Catelyn's eyes snapped open again.
She cast a glance toward the door and murmured to herself, "Sansa, I have done everything I could for you."
"I hope you and Galon can live out the rest of this winter in peace, though I fear I will not live to see that day."
A feeble sigh echoed through the warm room.
On the other side, Galon did not go looking for Mya after stepping outside.
After a moment of thought, he went straight to find Andar, asking him to send men to notify his forces still waiting at the Bloody Gate.
Once that was done, Galon accompanied Lord Royce and the others to inspect the Vale's army.
Unknowingly, the day passed quickly.
That evening, Mya quietly slipped into Galon's room once more.
After a bout of intense passion, she lay lazily across Galon's chest, tracing small circles on his skin.
Having entered a calm, reflective state, Galon toyed with her fair chest and asked as if casually, "Mya, Lord Royce told me today that you are King Robert's daughter. Is that true?"
Mya's body stiffened slightly, a trace of confusion flashing in her pupils.
Her memory of her father was long blurred, leaving only the vague impression of a tall, black-haired man who often tossed her young self into the air for fun.
"I... I am the King's daughter?"
Galon pretended not to notice her shock, offering a simple grunt before adding, "He wants to support you as the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, and he asked me to back you!"
Mya raised her head abruptly, her bright blue eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
"What? Queen? How... how is that possible?"
"Why shouldn't it be possible?" Galon looked at her, a strange light gleaming in his eyes.
"You carry the blood of the Stag, a princess of the Stormlands.
Once we defeat the Lannisters, you will be fully qualified to sit upon that Iron Chair."
"Then... what about you?" Mya asked nervously. "What do you think?"
"Me?" Galon chuckled.
He pulled Mya tightly into his arms, leaning close to her ear to whisper in a voice full of temptation, like lover's pillow talk.
"Of course I support you!
I will personally sweep away all your enemies and deliver you to the Iron Throne.
I will become your most powerful knight, guarding your realm!"
Mya's heart melted completely under these tender words. At this moment, she felt like the happiest woman in the world.
However, Galon's next words fell like a bucket of ice water, chilling her to the core.
"However!" He let out a sigh. "To be queen, one must bear the responsibilities of a queen."
"To consolidate your rule, you must forge a political marriage with a powerful house.
Perhaps the Martells of Dorne, or perhaps..."
Mya's face turned deathly pale in an instant. She looked at Galon, her eyes brimming with disappointment and pain.
"No—I don't want to!"
Sitting atop Galon, a massive, unventable wave of distress and sorrow rushed into Mya's heart.
At the mere thought of being married off to a stranger, she no longer wanted anything to do with the Iron Throne.
"If becoming queen means leaving you, I won't do it!"
"It's just..."
Mya wanted to speak up and refuse, but she suddenly remembered that the man beneath her belonged to another woman in the North. She fell silent.
Instead, she threw herself passionately into his embrace once more.
Galon did not refuse.
Breathing heavily, he launched one wave of affection after another until he conquered her heart and mind completely.
Regardless of whether Mya became queen in the future, her heart would forever belong to him alone.
After a night of indulgence, the next three nights passed in much the same way—until the army of the Vale officially set out.
Tens of thousands of Vale soldiers formed a vast blue ocean, marching grandly toward the Riverlands.
Galon rode atop his warhorse at the very front of the column.
Meanwhile, Mya stood upon the walls of the Gates of the Moon, silently watching Galon's tall, imposing figure.
She watched until the army disappeared past the Bloody Gate.
Mya knew clearly in her heart that the next time they met, their identities would undergo an earth-shattering transformation.
At the same time, as Galon led the cavalry of the Vale toward the battlefields of the Riverlands, Tywin in King's Landing finally received a letter from the Imp.
A grand war that would decide the fate of the realm was about to draw its curtain.
__________
Upto 20 chapters ahead on patreon :-
patreon.com/Xorath