"This… how is this possible?!" Ser Jeewood said dazedly, "I heard Lady Lysa has more suitors than ravens; how could she bear to…"
Lady Anya first gestured to interrupt him, then she spoke again, "Count Leonor, as far as I know, the Lady of Winterfell is a guest at Eyrie, isn't she?"
Count Leonor's gaze flickered, and he nodded, saying, "When I went to see young Duke Robert, I saw Lady Catelyn from a distance; she looked very haggard."
"Thank you for your honesty."
After a pause, Lady Anya stared into Count Leonor's eyes and continued, "Can you tell me if Lady Catelyn was one of the witnesses to Lysa Tully's choice to die?"
Count Leonor's fingers twitched, he was silent for a moment, then sighed, "Lady Anya, Lord Horton, Ser Jeewood, although I don't know the specific details, I am willing to believe that Lady Lysa's passing was her own choice."
"Willing to believe…" Lady Anya couldn't help but sigh softly.
Count Leonor nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over those present, and said, "To be honest, for the entire Vale, this is already a fairly good outcome."
His face became bitter: "Or rather… there could be no better outcome than this."
As Count Leonor's words fell, the tent immediately became silent.
After a pause, Lord Horton spoke, "I have to admit, this is also fortunate for young Duke Robert, alas."
Ser Jeewood suddenly said, "You just said Count Baelish is the young Duke's foster father?"
"According to Duke Robert's mother's will…"
Count Leonor's words were rudely interrupted by Ser Jeewood, who scoffed, "What right does Petyr Baelish have to be the young Duke's foster father? By a few sheep on that small patch of rocky land on the Fingers Peninsula?"
Count Leonor shrugged, saying, "Ser Jeewood, I felt much the same way when I first heard the news."
Ser Jeewood's voice was filled with distrust: "You want to tell me that for some reason you changed your mind? Hmm… I did hear that Count Baelish is good at making money. Has Eyrie's treasury been squandered by someone? Is that why Lysa Tully is so eager to find a foster father who can make money for young Duke Robert? Count Leonor, do you feel the same way?"
Count Leonor stared at Ser Jeewood for a moment, then said coldly, "Jeewood Hunter, are you questioning the honor of House Corbray?"
At this moment, Lady Anya spoke softly, "Count Leonor, please forgive Ser Jeewood's presumptuousness. House Arryn's vassals are all very concerned about young Duke Robert's safety."
After speaking, her gaze shifted to Ser Jeewood, who snorted and turned his face away.
She continued, "I believe you must have reasons to support Count Baelish. The Alliance of the Righteous wants to hear the real reason."
Count Leonor leaned back in his chair and said, "My Lords, Lord Baelish has brought true strong support to the Vale. He has already formed an alliance with Tywin Lannister on behalf of the Vale."
His lips curled: "As agreed, Myrcella Baratheon will become young Duke Robert's fiancée, and the young princess will soon arrive at Eyrie, with the wedding to be held after she comes of age."
After hearing what Count Leonor said, Lady Anya and the others' breathing couldn't help but become a little heavier.
The fire in the brazier flickered, and after a long while, Lady Anya clasped her hands tightly and murmured devoutly, "May the Gods bless…"
Glancing at everyone, Ser Jeewood of Longbow Hall fixed his gaze on Count Leonor and said in disbelief, "Lannister is willing to send Princess Myrcella to Eyrie? They are…"
He opened his mouth, and although he didn't speak the words that followed, he added in his mind: Are the Lannister's fools?
Lord Horton's gaze moved, and he spoke, "Count Leonor Corbray, I must admit this is surprisingly good news, but I want to know what the Vale must pay for Lannister's generosity?"
Ser Jeewood nodded vigorously, while Lady Anya elegantly picked up the wine jug, pouring wine as she said, "I am also very curious."
She glanced lightly at Lord Horton and continued, "How do the Valley Knights need to serve Lannister?"
Count Leonor spread his hands and replied, "Lannister's conditions are very simple. Lord Baelish told me that besides requiring us to continue supporting King Joffrey's Iron Throne, it is to send troops to suppress the rebellion."
Lord Horton's eyes moved slightly, and he said, "Stark and Tully?"
Seeing Count Leonor nod, Ser Jeewood suddenly realized, "Lannister wants to break the Arryn-Stark-Tully alliance?!"
Before anyone else could speak, he asked again in confusion, "To be honest, since Lysa Tully poisoned Jon, this alliance can be said to have already perished, right…"
Lady Anya shook her head slightly, saying, "If a Stark daughter marries young Duke Robert, the alliance of the Falcon, Wolf, and Fish will remain firm, which is why Lannister is willing to send their only princess to Eyrie."
After a pause, she continued, "Moreover, the North and the Riverlands have Robb Stark, who claims to be the King of the North and King of the Trident, and he is an enemy Lannister must deal with."
Ser Jeewood scratched his head and said, "South of King's Landing, there's also Stannis, who has a strong military."
Count Leonor said with a relaxed expression, "Lord Baelish told me that Lannister and Tyrell of Highgarden have already formed an alliance, and Stannis… do you really want to see him sitting on the Iron Throne? Not just us, I think most nobles in the Seven Kingdoms would not be willing to have that Lord as their King."
Lady Anya's eyes were deep, and she exhaled, saying, "It seems the Tyrell's young lady will wear the Queen's crown."
Count Leonor smiled and said, "I must say you are indeed a wise lady. Lord Baelish's guess is similar to yours. The proud Golden Rose must have seen Lannister's sincerity in advance."
After a pause, he added, "Allowing the noble Princess Myrcella to grow up in Eyrie and then marry young Duke Robert… I think this is Lannister's sincerity to the Vale Noble."
Lord Horton suddenly muttered to himself, "If there had been no unrest in the Vale, perhaps the Vale would have seen more sincerity."
Ser Jeewood laughed heartily, saying, "This is already very joyful news for me…"
His tone changed, and he said in a deep voice, "Count Leonor, since it's an alliance, can we demand that Lannister withdraw the Crab Claw Peninsula people from our Vale?"
A subtle hint of disdain flashed across Count Leonor's face. He smiled slightly and said, "Ser Jeewood, as the heir to Longbow Hall, do you not intend to reclaim your lost honor with your own hands?"
Ser Jeewood was startled, his gaze somewhat evasive, and he said, "The Valley Knights need some time to recover…"
Count Leonor raised his chin slightly and said, "Tomorrow, my sword will sever Count Kleber's neck, and I will hang his head in Seagull Town's square."
Lord Horton frowned slightly and said, "Count Leonor, Ser Jeewood is right. The Valley Knights have just suffered an unprecedented defeat. We indeed need rest and recovery."
His expression became pained: "Of the more than 20,000 Valley Knights who fought today, only over 6,000 returned to camp, and many of them are wounded. They… cannot participate in battle for a while."
Count Leonor's lips curled slightly, and he said, "I brought ten thousand soldiers, and they are full of fighting spirit right now."
Lord Horton's frown deepened: "Ten thousand soldiers? You… could it be?"
Count Leonor observed the three men whose expressions had become serious and said, "I actually arrived earlier. I saw you all resting here, so I didn't have anyone disturb you."
As his words fell, Ser Jeewood suddenly stood up, one hand gripping the hilt of his sword, and said, "The soldiers of House Hunter's Longbow Hall won't obediently listen to you. What have you done?!"
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