In the pale morning light, the camp on the banks of the Blackwater Rush was slowly coming back to life.
"Sizzle. Sizzle."
The camp was filled with the sweet smell of roasting sausages, fat dripping from them, the air rich with garlic and pepper.
Young squires hurried back and forth, while their knightly masters had just awakened and were preparing to watch today's final.
The shields displayed outside each tent were painted with the arms of the nobles within: House Tyrell's golden rose on green, House Stark's gray running wolf, Seagard's silver eagle, House Caron's nightingale and field, House Redwyne's grape cluster, House Swann's black and white swans, House Massey's triple spirals, House Royce's runic pebbles, House Arryn's crescent moon and falcon banner, and more.
Gendry I's tent stood near the riverbank, wrapped in the gray mist rising from the river.
The King's tent was large and orderly, but not luxurious.
Gendry's warhammer and a huge golden quartered shield stood at the entrance. Inside the tent lingered the scent of fire and sulfur, for the dragons were also there.
Gendry was in an excellent mood today, not only because of his victory in the Longspear joust, but also because of the power of runes. Runes were a new field of study.
"Bloodline, strength, magic," Gendry thought.
Gendry had already decided how to use the rune "Bronze Shield." It was not only for protecting himself, but also as bait in battle.
He could deliberately expose a weakness, lure the enemy in, and show weakness to trap them.
Anguy the Archer and Harrold Hardyng helped Gendry put on his black scale armor, while Ser Barristan guarded the entrance of the tent.
Hand of the King Stannis Baratheon, Jon Snow Stark, and Ser Davos the Onion Knight came first to meet King Gendry, to discuss Jon and the Onion Knight's voyage by sea from King's Landing to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea.
A few folding camp chairs had been placed outside the tent, and the men sat down together.
"Autumn storms are frequent, so this mission will be extremely difficult for the two of you, but it concerns the future of the Seven Kingdoms," Gendry said to Jon and the Onion Knight.
"If you see the wildling host, find out what they want to discuss, and what they have encountered," Great Lord Stannis added. "And the Old Bear as well, if the Old Bear can still come back alive."
Jon nodded solemnly. He wore a white woolen shirt embroidered with a dark white wolf with blood-red eyes.
"If I had not followed Lord Eddard to King's Landing, I might have become a member of the Night's Watch myself. If I can help them, it will be my honor."
Jon actually wanted very much to see his "uncle" Benjen, but he understood that it was only a vain hope.
The Night's Watch was still sacred in the hearts of certain First Men families in The North and the Vale, but in most parts of the Seven Kingdoms, its name had long since fallen into the gutter.
"Your Grace, my lord, I will bring Lord Jon to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. I swear it on my honor. May the old and new gods bless our journey," Ser Davos promised.
When it came to the sea, Davos was a professional. With enough merit, the Onion Knight's position would become even more secure.
"From King's Landing, to the Fingers, the Three Daughters, and White Harbor, your fleet will receive support from the local lords," Great Lord Stannis said, his eyes straight as a ruler. "You will carry sealed royal decrees and the royal banner."
"Jon, when you reach Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, pay attention to Samwell Tarly, Lord Randyll's eldest son. I hear he is now the Old Bear's personal steward," Gendry reminded him.
Gendry had not expected that after Jon failed to go north, Samwell would instead take over that place in the order of things.
Sam had a careful mind. If given the chance, he would make a good leader of the Night's Watch.
There was some reason to that. The Night's Watch lacked nobles, and especially young nobles. As long as a noble was not too stupid, he would always rise more easily than an exile or criminal.
Jon nodded. He had heard the story before: Lord Randyll had sent his cowardly eldest son to The Wall.
"And Renly," Stannis said dully. "If you can still see him, give him our greetings. He should also be able to find familiar people there. My former smith, Donal Noye..."
Gendry interlaced his long, powerful fingers.
"Next, we still have three main battlefields, and each one is troublesome."
The Wall on the northern front, Casterly Rock on the western front, and the Iron Islands on the western front.
Great Lord Stannis understood war well. "Your Grace, I can attack the Iron Fleet for you. Many years ago, I defeated the Kraken."
"It is not as simple as you think, Uncle," Gendry said.
Great Lord Stannis had fought a low-magic war, but what Crow's Eye was planning was a high-magic war.
"Could it be those things?" Stannis asked, his expression strange.
Though he was rigid, he had also seen some of the red priestess's supernatural wonders. If the Ironborn were not so easy to defeat, then unless there was magical assistance involved...
"Yes." Gendry nodded. "We do not only have ancient, uncanny things in the North. The West has no shortage of them either."
After their ambitious plan was roughly drafted, the young Queen Daenerys the Breaker appeared as well, accompanied by her female guards Dacey and Brienne of Tarth.
"You two stay and eat with us, Jon, Davos," Gendry ordered.
"Your Grace, this..." Ser Davos looked somewhat overwhelmed.
"Don't be so restrained. This is the King's command." Gendry laughed openly.
They all began breakfast together at a folding table by the river. There was black bread, boiled goose eggs, peppered starfish, and fried fish with onions.
A short while later, the morning mist dispersed. They spent a happy and pleasant morning together, setting aside the complicated war for the moment.
The white knights accompanied the King and Queen into the tournament grounds. Today was the championship match.
The first match began, and the heralds blew their horns.
"First match: Dragonlord Storm, His Grace King Gendry of House Breaker, against the Knight of Flowers, Ser Loras Tyrell of House Tyrell of The Reach."
The Knight of Flowers entered the field on an elegant white warhorse, the horse clad in ringmail.
Ser Loras looked calm and untroubled on the surface, but he was deeply wary inside.
Loras had seen the King's matches. The King's speed, strength, and technique had all reached an unbelievable level. Yet Loras was just as proud, and he intended to create a miracle.
Gendry then appeared on the field, wearing black battle armor with a golden cloak over it.
After Gendry put on the double-crested dragon-stag helm, the leaping black stag and the roaring red dragon each looked down upon one side, and the King seemed like a giant standing upon a battlefield.
"Long live the Storm!"
"Loras!"
The people began cheering for the two young heroes. Though they were young, both were among the finest on horseback.
Without Littlefinger, Renly, and Varys there to play along and stir things up, the ministers of today seemed more elegant, but also more rigid.
Loras looked at Gendry with a touch of envy, and not only because of Renly. Under Gendry's radiance, Loras seemed a little out of date again.
Gendry waved to Daenerys, and the noble ladies and maidens cheered for the King's bearing.
Gendry and Loras each lowered their visors, took their positions at the edge of the field, and lowered their Longspears.
The two horses began sprinting at full speed. This time, Loras did not shamelessly use a little mare again. At last, he showed some knightly pride.
The temporary stands shook with them.
"Crack."
"Crack."
The Longspears crashed together, and both shattered at once.
Gendry smiled at Loras. He would still play with him for a while. After the runes, the gap in strength between them and Gendry would only grow wider.
Then came the second pass. The second pair of spears shattered as well, splinters flying through the air, and the knights took new Longspears from their squires.
"Loras is going to lose," Ser Barristan said as he watched the two men on the field.
Gendry's force was more skillful, and his strikes were faster. Gendry was like a wall of iron, while Loras did not have the King's steadiness.
The Storm seemed to be strolling at ease, while Loras was beginning to grow impatient.
"I'll try selling him an opening," Gendry thought.
The Knight of Flowers, Loras, rode forward and leaned down in the saddle.
He suddenly caught a hint of hesitation in the King's movement, an obvious opening.
Loras decided to seize this final chance. In strength and speed, he was far behind the Storm.
"Crack."
Loras's Longspear came in.
"Danger."
The spectators all felt the danger. The Knight of Flowers' thrust drove straight toward the King.
But Gendry shifted his body, avoiding it in the instant danger arrived.
The Knight of Flowers' Longspear was deflected cleanly by Gendry's golden quartered shield, without even scratching it, and never truly reached a dangerous point.
But Gendry's counterattack was fast and fierce, a sudden thrust. Its speed was like lightning, leaving the Knight of Flowers no time to dodge.
"This."
Beneath his visor, the Knight of Flowers was both frantic and furious, but he had no time to react.
When force and speed reached such a level, there was no solution. It was as if he had been locked in place, with no space to withdraw.
Gendry's Longspear struck the Knight of Flowers in the breastplate. The Knight of Flowers flew straight from his horse and fell onto the grass.
The Knight of Flowers was dizzy and stunned. Then the Rose's squires entered the field and carried the weakened Knight of Flowers onto a stretcher.
"Long live the Storm!"
"Long live the King!"
The spectators burst into loud laughter, followed by a wave of noise. Even the noble lords and ladies could not help laughing.
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