"Where did Jon go? Why did he leave me here! Is he going to attack King's Landing!"
"It's not like that, Lady Arya, the Lord will be back soon."
In a room at Dreadfort, Old Yorek was frantically trying to comfort Arya.
The room they were in was the same one Prince Daemon had once occupied. Old Yorek looked at the carvings Prince Daemon had left behind, as if he could feel the same anxiety the prince must have felt when he went to face the dragon Vhagar.
Old Yorek truly couldn't understand why Jon would initiate a mutiny that offered him no benefit. With his military achievements, being granted a title and lands in the future wouldn't be an issue.
Before Jon's action, he had Old Yorek stay in the Tower of Dread to prevent Arya from getting hurt in the subsequent chaos. Now that everyone knew Arya's identity, it was impossible for anyone in Harrenhal to harm her.
But Old Yorek knew this was actually Jon showing concern for him, as he was already over sixty and couldn't be of much help in the operation. "The Gods bless this young man, let him accomplish what he wishes to accomplish." Old Yorek prayed in his heart, hoping Jon would get his wish.
What evil intentions could a man who would risk his life to save others on the battlefield have? He only knew that Jon must have his reasons for doing this.
Just then, a familiar face appeared in Old Yorek's line of sight; it was Mond, who had joined Jon's army with Martin.
"My Lord, Lord Jon has the situation under control," Mond said excitedly.
Hearing this news, Old Yorek let out a long sigh of relief. Arya, beside him, was still relentlessly asking:
"What situation? What happened to Jon? Tell me quickly—"
Meanwhile, at the Tower of the Wailing.
"Jon, will the Tyrells and Lannisters really unite? Joffrey is a Lannister after all!"
The speaker was also a Mormont, and as a Bear Islander, he was indeed a bit naive when it came to politics.
"As long as someone needs it, a prince can become a bastard, and a bastard can become a prince." This Mormont mulled over Jon's words, feeling something was off but not knowing how to refute it.
"What if you're wrong?" asked Wendel Manderly. Though corpulent, as a member of the Manderly Family, they were always cautious.
"Since the army marched, when have I ever been wrong?" Jon immediately retorted, leaving everyone speechless.
Lord Bolton snorted coldly, wanting to argue but then closing his mouth.
Though arrogant, his words were true. Nevertheless, Jon patiently explained to them:
"I think you all should know that Margaery, the youngest daughter of the Tyrell Family, is the same age as me, and her good name is widely known. The condition for the Tyrell Family to ally with Renly was that Renly would make Margaery his queen. Now Renly is dead. Originally, my sister Sansa was to become Joffrey's queen, but now the Starks and Lannisters are enemies. If the Tyrell Family still wants a crown, where should they get it from?" Jon then changed to a stern tone and said, "If Stannis is defeated, then we in the North will become fish on a chopping block. Only by taking the initiative and keeping the war away from our homeland is the best choice, isn't it?"
Listening to Jon's analysis, everyone nodded, though some still spoke up, unwilling to give in: "There's also King Robb."
"King Robb has already formed a marriage alliance with our Frey Family," a nobleman stood up and said. He didn't even need to announce himself; his short chin was the best proof of his identity. "Yes, the Starks have allied with the Frey Family. As Northerners, we must keep our word, mustn't we?" Jon seized the opportunity to flatter them, and no one in the hall spoke again.
"Jon, is this really necessary?" Meiqi Saiwen looked at Lord Bolton, who was being held captive beside him, still feeling uneasy.
"If it were you, would you be willing to entrust your back to our Lord Bolton?" Since Lord Bolton had started calling Jon a 'bastard,' Jon saw no need to show him any respect.
Seeing Jon speak of him this way, Lord Bolton immediately wanted to retort. He widened his eyes and opened his mouth, but in the end, he couldn't say anything, so he turned his gaze to the others.
But the others, after hearing Jon's words, instead nodded in agreement.
There was nothing he could do; the fact that he had abandoned the main army on the Green Fork was deeply ingrained in people's minds.
Although there was nothing wrong with his tactics, Jon first turned the tide, saving Meiqi Saiwen and Harrion, then went to Darry City to kill the Mountain, saving House Darry from extinction. These two actions stood in Stark contrast to his, like two deep nails, pinning Lord Bolton to the pillar of shame.
"I have already asked Lord Bolton, and he does not agree with me going to King's Landing. Moreover, Robb also wants me to hand over military power and go to Riverrun. I can only do this."
After a while, Harrion spoke: "Jon, I'll follow you. Karstark and Stark are one and the same. I must go to King's Landing to avenge Lord Eddard!"
"Although I don't have the right, I still thank you on behalf of the Stark Family," Jon said, looking at him.
Harrion's declaration made Meiqi Saiwen a little awkward, as he, too, had been saved by Jon on the battlefield.
It's just that King's Landing was not close, and by then, they might also have to face the Tyrells' army, which made him feel uncertain.
Meiqi Saiwen slowly rose, as if his butt had been bitten by the chair: "Jon, I am very grateful that you saved my life. If it weren't for you, I would either have died on the battlefield or been taken captive by the Lannisters, but now—"
"I understand what you mean," Jon said, "I'll trouble you to guard Harrenhal. You are also one of the people I trust most."
Count Saiwen wanted to say that Jon was staging a mutiny, which was tantamount to disobeying Robb's orders, but seeing Jon trust him so much, he felt a bit touched.
He hesitated for a moment and said, "But Jon, you have a point. I, I still have thirteen hundred men. I, I'll give you half."
"Thank you."
Seeing him say this, the Manderlys and Mormonts also followed suit.
"I'll give you half too."
"Me too."
Finally, Frey also gave Jon half of his men.
This was consistent with the Frey Family's usual investment philosophy: seeking stability.
If Jon lost, they were 'coerced into dividing their forces'; if he won, they had contributed and earned merit.
Finally, Jon looked at Vargo Hoat, who had remained silent.
Vargo Hoat felt Jon's gaze and instinctively sat up straight. As the leader of the Brave Companions, he also had over two thousand men under his command.
However, Jon's strategic objective was simply too risky, and he stammered:
"Lord Jon, this isn't something I can decide alone. Mercenaries are just trying to make a living—"
"I don't need your soldiers." Jon directly cut him off. "The Brave Companions delivered Harrenhal to the North. This is your achievement, and the North will not forget it. In the upcoming war, you can either stay here and stand with the North, or withdraw from the war. But if you choose to side with the Lannisters again, then you know my methods and capabilities."
Listening to Jon's chilling words, Vargo Hoat felt no indignation at all. Instead, he softened his posture and forced a smile:
"Don't worry, my Lord. A mercenary company that constantly wavers will only tarnish its reputation and lower its fees. We people are here to risk our lives, so naturally, we hope to sell them for a good price."
In the end, Jon assembled an army of fifteen thousand men.
However, compared to the massive Harrenhal, this army was as insignificant as a wisp of smoke leaving bacon.
But Jon was going to use such an army to formally step onto the center stage of the Seven Kingdoms!
The carriage bumped along the road to Riverrun.
Inside the carriage, Arya's curses and pleas had stopped at some point. An ominous feeling seized Old Yorek. He abruptly reined in the horses, pulled back the curtain—the carriage was empty.
Only a plank at the bottom of the carriage had been pried open, revealing the bumpy muddy road beneath. Cold wind poured in, chilling one's heart.