The towering white spires of Eyrie were bathed in the morning light.
Inside Moon Gate, Nestor Royce, the Grand Steward of the Arryn Valley, a large, thick-chested, bald man.
was standing with several vassal knights loyal to House Arryn around a carved oak table.
On the table lay an open parchment letter sealed with the sigil of an eagle and a crescent moon.
"Lord Jon Arryn has replied to our letter," Nestor Royce's voice echoed in the somewhat empty hall. "He has sent letters to the Tully Guardian of Riverrun and Balon Dading of Daedings Family separately."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the vassal knights present:
"Lord Jon Arryn proposed to the Tully Guardian and Balon Dading that that Black Lion, Suleiman Stinky Fort—yes, that recently renowned young man—lead an army into the Bright Moon Mountains."
"We will also organize an army; he will enter the Bright Moon Mountains from the Riverlands, and we will enter the Bright Moon Mountains from the Valley."
"To thoroughly resolve the millennia-old problem of the High Mountain Clan wildlings, to exterminate those High Mountain Clans, and force them to kneel in submission."
An elder knight, his brows slightly furrowed, said, "Thoroughly resolve? Those wildlings have been entrenched in the High Mountain for thousands of years. No king or guardian in the Arryn Valley has ever eliminated them in thousands of years."
"That is their home, their lair. They know every mountain stream, every dense forest like the back of their hand. I'm afraid!"
Nestor Royce's voice was noncommittal. He served the Arryn Valley and House Arryn, faithfully executing their orders.
"The letter mentioned that if Arthur can accomplish this, Lord Jon Arryn will personally knight him and grant him a portion of the mountain lands as his family's territory."
"Lord Jon Arryn commands us to immediately issue a summons to all parts of the Valley: all landless second sons or even bastards from noble families, wandering knights eager for merit."
"And anyone willing to risk for wealth and glory can gather at Dreadfort and await Arthur's command."
"All who follow Arthur into the mountains, upon the war's end and their return to the Valley, shall be rewarded!"
"We shall immediately draft the documents and dispatch messengers to various places."
————
Lady Rona huddled on the cold bed, trembling.
Her husband and her husband's father had both died in battle. She had no relatives in this castle, and Arthur's refusal of marriage suffocated her.
The only person she could trust, the steward of Deep Valley, old Hoover, who had served House Deep Valley his entire life, was found dead in his room this morning, along with his wife and two sons.
"My Lady, you must eat something." The maid offered a bowl of thin gruel, but Lady Rona pushed it away.
"Where are Ser Rick and the others?"
The maid lowered her head and shook it.
Lady Rona trembled all over, tears welling up.
The only three remaining knights of Deep Valley City were now standing by, watching coldly in the city.
Most of them were former wandering knights, recruited by her husband's father, minor nobles attached to House Deep Valley.
When her husband and son were alive, they were respectful, but now, only greed and calculation remained in their eyes.
Lady Rona could even feel their malicious gazes, like venomous snakes, circling her.
She knew what they were waiting for: for her to accept one of their marriage proposals, for her to willingly offer everything in Deep Valley City.
Even though her husband's father had gathered a lot of grain after the siege was lifted, these people were now telling her that the grain was gone!
Suddenly, there was a clamor and shouting from outside the city, mixed with the crude curses of soldiers.
Lady Rona's heart tightened: "What's happening outside?"
The maid walked out with a pale face and returned: "My Lady! My Lady! It seems! It seems the soldiers are looting the family's storeroom!"
"What?" Lady Rona rose abruptly, a sense of inexplicable humiliation surging within her.
That was the family's property, her property. How dare those soldiers?
Ignoring the maid's protests, she stumbled out of the bedroom and rushed into the courtyard, where a group of soldiers were pushing and cursing at each other.
"Stop... it! What... are... you... all... doing!" Lady Rona shouted with all her might, her voice trembling with fear and sounding halting, so powerless and without authority. "I... will... kill... you... all!"
She looked at the several knights standing by with pleading eyes, but they just stood there, watching coldly.
"My Lady," a soldier with a beefy face, though still somewhat respectful, spoke up, "My Lady! After old Hoover the steward died! No one has been cooking for us! We haven't eaten in two days!"
"We opened the city's storeroom! And found all the grain gone!!!"
"That's why we came here!!!"
"How could it be! How could it be!" Lady Rona trembled, muttering repeatedly.
She looked at the knights with tear-filled eyes, but they turned their heads away.
It's them!! It must be them!!!
"But this is my family's storeroom, my family's property!" Lady Rona gathered her courage, her face flushed. "You can't..."
"Can't what!!!" Someone from behind the soldiers yelled loudly, causing a commotion, pushing the soldiers forward. Some soldiers turned around and realized they weren't Deep Valley City soldiers, making the situation even more chaotic. "We fought and bled for your family! Are you going to starve us to death!!!"
The storeroom door was opened by someone, but the soldiers didn't dare to go in until a few people they didn't recognize rushed in and took things.
It was chaos. Everyone was agitated. When one person started, another followed. Everyone rushed in, grabbing things.
"Stop.....!" Lady Rona kept shouting, but her voice was so chaotic in this situation. "Please... please! Stop.....!"
A daring Deep Valley City soldier reached out a hand covered in black mud, trying to touch Lady Rona's cheek. "My Lady, can't you see who's in charge of this city now? Lord Luo Fu and Lord Heluo have both gone to meet the Seven Gods." The smell of alcohol mixed with sweat assailed her.
"You... you insolent wretch!" Lady Rona was both afraid and angry, retreating repeatedly. "I... will... kill... you!"
But her tear-filled eyes and halting speech made her appear completely without dignity.
"Kill me!" The daring Deep Valley City soldier drew his belt sword, threw it in front of Lady Rona, and yelled, "My Lady!! Kill me now!!!"
The surrounding soldiers burst into laughter.
Lady Rona looked at the knights through her tears, those Deep Valley City knights, who still stood by and watched.
Some even showed schadenfreude, hinting for her to accept the marriage proposal.
Despair flooded her like a tide, and her tears flowed freely.
She felt the world spin, her body swaying precariously.
Suddenly, a flash of white blade passed her cheek, and blood spurted.
The head of the soldier who had been so arrogant just moments ago rolled on the ground, blood gushing, his face still bearing an expression of incredulous shock.
Immediately after, several more screams rang out, and a few of the soldiers who had just laughed also fell into pools of blood.
It was Lucien and Arthur's soldiers.
Blood splattered onto Lady Rona's skirt, and even a few drops of warm liquid splashed on her cheek.
"Ah—!!!" She could no longer support herself, letting out a scream, and her body softly fell backward.
A pair of strong arms steadily caught her. Arthur lifted her into his arms.
His gaze swept over the silent, terrified soldiers, and the angry-faced Deep Valley City knights with their hands on their swords.
But that was likely their last burst of anger, as Bronn and Hakon, with their men, had already placed their hands on their shoulders, forcibly dragging them away.
Arthur surveyed the scene, "Everyone put the things back."
"Lucien! Anyone who disobeys, kill without mercy." His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. "You want grain, I will give it to you!"
Soldier after soldier walked into the storeroom, putting the items they held back.
Lady Rona, in his arms, had long since lost consciousness, only her body still trembling slightly.
Arthur carried her through the courtyard and towards the lord's chambers deep within the castle.
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