New chapter! Thanks for all the support!
x
"Ser Kevan, are you certain Lord Tywin will agree to the conditions you promised me?"
Hearing Kevan's words, Lord Walder did not even turn his head as he asked in a low voice.
"Of course. I swear it in the name of the Seven. Every promise I made you has Lord Tywin's approval.
If this were not his plan, I would still be besieging Riverrun right now. How would I dare bring soldiers here to visit you?"
Hearing that, Kevan immediately nodded with solemn certainty.
"Good. That little trout who gave me the nickname Late Lord Frey and shamed me for ten whole years...
This time, he will finally receive the vengeance he deserves."
Lord Walder nodded. Thinking that the knot in his heart could finally be undone, a smile appeared on his face.
"You could have demanded that Robb Stark come in person and swear the oath. Then we could have seized him outright."
"No. That would make them suspicious.
The famous Lord Eddard may be dead, but the wolf cub he taught was able to lead troops and defeat Roose Bolton. Among the young men of this generation, that is already no small thing.
As a proper king, he will not place himself in danger."
Lord Walder shook his head and explained to Kevan.
"Heh. A little over a month ago, he and that giant wolf risked their lives and turned King's Landing upside down."
"Perhaps at that time he was not yet a proper king, only a child trying to save his father.
I am somewhat worried that Riverrun may discover most of your army has left and come out to attack the men you left behind.
Also, your soldiers on the south bank must remain well hidden. We have only one chance. If the northerners discover them, I fear something unexpected may happen."
"Do not worry, Lord Walder. Edmure Tully is a timid fool. After I killed more than two thousand of his soldiers at the Golden Tooth, I drove straight to Riverrun and met no real resistance.
I left two thousand men in the camp, constantly moving around to create a false impression. He does not dare take even half a step out of the castle now.
As for the more than ten thousand soldiers hidden in the woods on the south bank, they have eaten nothing but military rations these past few days and have not lit a single campfire.
I guarantee the northerners will not discover them."
Hearing Lord Walder's concern, Kevan first nodded and gave his assurances. Then he continued.
"When the time comes, according to Lord Tywin's plan, once half their army has crossed, you will close the iron portcullises on both sides of the bridge.
They will certainly fall into chaos. We will destroy the army on the south bank, while Lord Tywin destroys the army on the north bank from the kingsroad. Finally, we will deal with the soldiers trapped on the bridge.
This time... in a single battle, we will wipe out all thirty thousand of them."
"I doubt that is possible. If their army on the north bank discovers the trap, they need only retreat to Moat Cailin and defend it.
Even if you join forces with Lord Tywin, you still will not be able to pass Moat Cailin and enter the North."
Having lived for ninety years, Lord Walder had seen more than a few battles and still possessed decent judgment.
Kevan did not answer further. He merely showed a smile with a deeper meaning.
"Since we are speaking of it, I will ask one more thing. What if Robb Stark refuses my terms and will not cross at my Twins?"
"Heh. He will come. All of this is within Lord Tywin's calculations."
"Mm. Good, then. Come, Ser Kevan, let me entertain you properly.
And while we are at it, you may help Jaime Lannister choose a wife. I have a daughter whose looks are quite decent."
"Ha, very well."
When Robb met Lord Norrey, the northern army had already passed the region around Greywater Watch in the Neck and made camp at the kingsroad junction leading to the Twins.
Inside Robb's command tent, after Lord Norrey bluntly reenacted the entire process of negotiating the bridge toll with Lord Walder, Robb fell into thought.
"Lord Norrey, thank you for making the trip. Please go and rest."
When Robb came back to himself and saw that Lord Norrey was still standing before him, waiting, he immediately smiled and thanked him.
After Lord Norrey left, Theon grinned and teased Robb.
"Robb, I do not think you need to consider it. Accept the marriage alliance, and you gain a wife and several thousand soldiers. You also get to cross the Twins. What a fine thing.
Unless you dislike marriage alliances."
"I do not object to marriage alliances, but the seat of my queen is worth more than House Frey alone."
Robb shook his head and did not explain further to Theon. Instead, he changed the subject.
"Have Smalljon and Eddard gone out to scout the situation ahead on the kingsroad?"
"They have. It's just that... Lord Jon thought things had been too dull lately, so he went along too."
Tap, tap, tap!
On the kingsroad near the Green Fork, the Greatjon was riding hard with Smalljon, Eddard, and more than a hundred cavalrymen.
In the half month since they had left Winterfell, there had not been a single battle. He had been stifled almost to madness.
"Jon, talk Lord Jon down. We have a scouting mission. We are not out here for a pleasant ride."
Eddard, who had failed to persuade the Greatjon from the beginning, rode closer to Smalljon and spoke.
"My father has a bull's temper. He is even less likely to listen to me.
Do not worry. He knows what matters. At most, he will ride a little farther ahead and then stop."
Smalljon shook his head and answered helplessly.
"Enemy spotted!"
As the two of them were talking, a cavalryman beside the Greatjon suddenly shouted.
Hearing him, Eddard and Smalljon immediately looked ahead.
On the kingsroad before them, a cavalry unit of nearly a hundred men had appeared, wearing the unmistakable armor of House Lannister.
"They have about the same number as us. Charge with me!"
Seeing that the Lannister cavalry were about equal in number, the Greatjon excitedly drew his longsword, swung it forward, and gave the order to charge.
"Jon, do not... ah."
Eddard watched Smalljon lower his head and charge after his father, paying no attention to him at all. He sighed heavily, drew his own longsword, and charged after them.
The Lannisters had also spotted the Greatjon and the others in northern-style mail. They charged back without the slightest fear.
Both sides were lightly equipped scouting cavalry. They carried no lances, bows, or crossbows, not even one-handed shields. With nothing but longswords, they entered close combat.
Rip!
At the front of the northern cavalry, the Greatjon proved worthy of his reputation for ferocity throughout the North.
In a single exchange, his longsword pressed down the enemy rider's blade. His second stroke opened the man's throat.
Smalljon was even more outstanding than his father. The instant he clashed with a Lannister rider, the enemy managed to block his longsword, but Smalljon's strength still shoved the man clean off his horse.
Neigh!
The other cavalrymen did not enjoy the same one-sided dominance.
A northern rider and a Lannister rider crashed heavily together. Their poor horses screamed and collapsed, and the riders on their backs struggled up from the ground, raised their longswords, and kept fighting.
The northern cavalry were physically stronger and had greater fighting spirit than the Lannisters.
In the clash, this northern rider had a small half of his jaw sliced away by his opponent. Even so, he swung his longsword with all his strength, endured the wound, and hacked his enemy to the ground.
But Lannister armor and weapons were finer than those of the northern cavalry.
Just as the northern rider thought he had survived by luck, the Lannister soldier on the ground suddenly rolled over, sat up, and drove his sword through the northerner's groin.
Ha, ha, ha!
The Lannister soldier, whose fine armor had blocked his opponent's fatal chop, rose to his feet and laughed foolishly in relief.
A northern rider saw this obvious target, swept past on horseback, and cut off his head.
On the kingsroad, the northern army had made first contact with the army of the Westerlands.
It was like a miniature of the war that was bound to come: blood splashing, flesh tearing, severed limbs flying.
This group of Lannister cavalry could not stop the charge of the Greatjon and Smalljon at all.
Seeing the northern riders gradually split their formation under the Umbers' lead, a Lannister cavalry captain realized the situation was bad. After cutting down a northern rider, he immediately pulled his reins, turned his horse, and shouted while fleeing:
"Retreat! Retreat, quickly!"
The encounter between the two groups of cavalry lasted less than ten minutes from first contact to end. With only half their men and horses remaining, the Lannister cavalry fled south along the kingsroad in panic.
"M-mercy!"
A young Lannister rider who had fallen wounded from his horse but was not yet dead raised his hand and begged.
A northern cavalryman stabbed down hard, piercing the man's palm and driving the blade onward into his throat.
There is no mercy on a battlefield. More than that, they were scouts. They did not need many prisoners, only a very small number of living mouths to bring back.
"This is the first victory of our northern army on the march south. Come, back to claim merit!"
Covered in blood, the Greatjon saw the northern cavalry finish clearing the field. He laughed loudly and rode north.
Eddard followed with a cold face, while Smalljon rode behind with helplessness written all over him.
Parte superior do formulário
Parte inferior do formulário
x
x
x
If you're enjoying the story so far, consider supporting me on Patreon ❤️
You'll get weekly early access to chapters, along with some exclusive content:
https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheDevotedReader