The shouts attracted everyone.
Laena saw his emotional brother and knew something bad was about to happen.
He stood up and squeezed into the crowd.
"Wait for me!"
Rhaenyra was about to catch up.
Just as she started to move, a cold hand held her down.
Rhaenyra looked at Jeyne, confused.
"I'm helping you," Jeyne said.
Jeyne looked straight ahead and warned softly.
Rhaenyra was stunned for a moment, but she suppressed her impatience.
Different identities.
Aemon offended half of the Vale and divided its power.
However, she is the heir to the Iron Throne and cannot afford to offend the other half of the Vale.
The Vale has always been a reliable ally of the royal family.
Whether united or divided in half, the Vale has always been loyal.
Ultimately, they are all loyal to her.
"Thank you, cousin."
Rhaenyra felt uncomfortable and thanked her quietly.
Jeyne smiled faintly. "Protect yourself first at any time."
It was a true and sincere experience.
She had no relatives in the Eyrie or the Vale. As the daughter of Queen Emma, Rhaenyra was one of her few blood relatives.
In a man's world, women must unite.
Rhaenyra did not answer, but looked up at the crowd.
Meanwhile, Laenor squeezed his way through the crowd, his face full of worry.
Aemon had provoked the conflict twice, and it would definitely break out one day.
She had privately restrained Laenor.
Unexpectedly, the fire started from her side.
"Asshole! Ah!"
Orion's eyes blazed as he punched the pretty boy in the head.
He wanted to kill him on the spot.
"Stop! Stop now!"
Laenor was extremely anxious and tried to squeeze through the crowd, but he couldn't.
Orion was furious. His face was splattered with blood, and it became more and more hideous.
"Stop it!"
Aemon pushed his way in and grabbed the falling fist.
"Get out!"
Orion didn't listen, regarding him as an accomplice.
"Stupid!"
Aemon's face darkened slightly, and he swung his right hand.
Snap!
Orion's head buzzed and his body swayed uncontrollably.
Finally, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.
"You're in the same group as me, and you dare be an accomplice?"
Someone fanned the flames and came out to question him.
Aemon didn't even look at them and swung his right hand again.
Snap!
The man turned halfway around and fainted on the spot.
"Prince, you..."
Snap!
A young man from the Lindley family, who had a black shield covered with green, wriggling, venomous snakes on his chest, fell to the ground before he could finish speaking.
"Make way! Please let Lady Jeyne decide."
Gunthor, William, and the others pulled hard and separated the crowd into a path.
Glancing at the young Lindley, he nodded secretly.
Young people are good; they fall asleep as soon as they lie down.
The banquet was forced to stop, and the atmosphere at the scene turned cold.
Hall.
Male nobles and knights stood in the hall, leaving a space in the middle.
The noble ladies and young ladies went upstairs and gathered around the railing, looking down at the scene below.
The two groups occupied one side of the room.
Aemon stood with a blank expression, accompanied by Laenor and his mother, Lady Rhea.
More people stood behind them.
Among them were Holden Redfort of Redfort, Walter Cowart of Coldwater City, Addison Tollett of Grey Glen, Gunthor Royce of Black Rose Hall, and Ryan Shet of Seagull Tower.
All of them were noble lords, heirs, or wealthy knights.
On the opposite side was the Corbray family of Heart's Home.
Lord Orion woke up and realized he had been knocked unconscious. He glared angrily.
He had a younger brother and a younger sister.
His younger brother, Corwin Corbray, was about twenty years old, handsome, and tall.
His younger sister, Martha Corbray, looked 16 or 17.
The little girl was crying, her eyes red as she huddled in the arms of the female elders.
Many people stood behind the three siblings.
Among them were vassals and allies of the Corbray family, as well as hedge knights and squires.
Many nobles of the Vale stood behind the Corbray family.
Their intentions were clear.
Aemon took it indifferently, knowing that what was coming was inevitable.
With a sidelong glance, Laenor supported the injured, unconscious Joffrey.
Joffrey's face was torn, and he was basically disfigured.
"Silence!"
Jeyne commanded solemnly, suppressing the whispers in the hall.
Aemon glanced around.
Rhaenyra, of noble status, sat upright on the throne carved from fish beams.
Seeing him look over, she gave him a cautious glance.
Aemon understood.
"Lord Orion, why did you attack Ser Joffrey in public?"
Jeyne frowned.
"Madam..."
Orion immediately stood up and complained indignantly.
It turned out that Joffrey had been drinking, had mixed in with a group of women, and had forcibly kissed Miss Martha.
"Nonsense!"
Laenor retorted, leaving Joffrey in the care of others.
Joffrey was in a bad mood and got drunk. He habitually spoke without restraint.
We don't know yet whether he took further action.
But that was his lover!
After hearing this, Jeyne couldn't help but get a headache.
The mother-in-law was right; we could only ask the person involved.
Joffrey was still unconscious, and Martha nodded while crying.
Guilty!
Jeyne believed the little girl and asked Lord Orion, "What do you mean?"
Orion pointed at Joffrey and angrily said, "He defiled my sister's chastity, and the Corbray family will never forgive him."
"He hasn't argued for himself yet!"
Laenor protested.
His protest was invalid.
Someone pointed out that Joffrey had kissed Miss Martha forcibly. More than one person saw it.
There was a tug-of-war, and many people saw it.
Aemon remained silent, observing the three Corbray siblings.
Lord Orion's anger didn't seem fake.
I heard from Laena that Miss Martha had a good reputation and was of marrying age, so it's unlikely that she was lying.
This incident might really have been an accident.
Aemon's eyes flickered as he glanced at the disfigured Joffrey.
Would a homosexual also flirt with girls?
Laenor only admired women and showed no reaction.
But Joffrey... not necessarily.
"Ser Laenor."
Jeyne called out to the anxious Laenor and said lightly, "Ser Joffrey flirted with Miss Martha. Since he is unconscious, he will be temporarily imprisoned in the Sky Prison."
"No, no."
Laenor didn't believe his homosexual lover would do such a thing.
Jeyne ignored him and turned back around. "Your Highness, the matter is clear. I believe there is no need to say more."
She didn't talk to Aemon; she directed her words to Rhaenyra.
Rhaenyra was cautious and did not answer immediately.
"Lady Jeyne, Lord Orion."
After a moment of thought, Aemon said slowly, "I believe Miss Martha is innocent. Can you wait until Joffrey wakes up and apologize to her in person?"
"Impossible!"
Orion shouted, thinking the other party was going to cover it up.
Aemon took a deep breath and said, "Joffrey will pay the price for his drunken behavior, but it won't cost him his life."
He expected conflict.
However, there should be a limit to how you treat people.
You can't use an unmarried girl's innocence as a bargaining chip.
Similarly, Joffrey can be punished, but his crime is not punishable by death.
How many people did you bring with you on this trip? How many will you bring back?
"You want to support a beast!?"
Orion cursed.
"Of course not."
Laena responded first with a friendlier attitude and more tactful words. "Joffrey made a mistake. The Velaryon family won't deny it. I just hope Lord Orion and Lady Martha can give him a chance to atone for his sins."
They both meant the same thing: to make up for the mistake.
At the same time, they were putting the blame on the Velaryon family and taking the initiative to admit responsibility.
Jeyne looked at her deeply, admiring her courage. She then turned to ask Lord Orion, "What do you think?"
"No!"
Orion stared at the two silver-haired figures opposite him and said, "I will get to the bottom of it!"
A cold color flashed across Aemon's eyes.
It's so aggressive!
A forced kiss is not a swaddling cloth; it doesn't affect a woman's marriage.
The mainstream approach to clearing a woman's name is apologies and compensation.
Orion's move was clearly an attempt to take advantage of the situation.
"In that case, I don't know what else to do."
Jeyne smiled helplessly.
After the whole story was explained, the scene divided into three factions.
Aemon and Lord Orion represented the Riverdale and radical Vale factions, respectively.
Neither side listened to her orders.
As the Lady of the Eyrie, her only vassals were the silent conservatives.
The nobles of the Vale had different expressions, and their positions changed.
Half stood on the edge, watching.
Aemon saw this and his mind suddenly became clear.
No wonder Jeyne had been patient.
It turned out that the division within the Vale was serious, too.
The nobles who stood on the edge were mostly from small families or were wealthy knights in the Vale of Arryn.
One notable family was the Templetons from the City of Nine Stars.
They were wealthy knights, and their patriarch held the title "Knight of the City of Nine Stars."
Their strength was not weak, and their influence was no less than that of many noble lords.
They supported Jeyne.
The Corbray family was supported by some ancient nobles in the Vale.
This is what Aemon saw at the moment.
The Waxley family of Candle Cave City, the Malcol family of Old Anchorage, and the Lindley family of Snakewood City were among them.
These families were involved in the last questioning of Jeyne's inheritance.
"They can all do it."
A dangerous idea emerged in Aemon's mind:
After returning, he would bleed them one by one.
They are not Jeyne's people, so there is no need to be polite.
"Hand him over!"
Orion said, rushing forward aggressively.
"Impossible!"
Laenor drew his long sword and blocked Orion's path. He said solemnly, "If you want to touch him, you must get past me first."
Orion's face darkened as he looked at the two "women" above. His voice boomed: "Princess, madam, they refuse to plead guilty!"
"You want his life."
Laenor shouted.
Even rabbits bite when they're scared, let alone the heir to a prominent family and dragon rider.
Rhaenyra frowned and looked at Jeyne.
Lord Orion's coercion made them both uncomfortable.
Jeyne clapped her hands and wiped the unnecessary expression off her face. "Since you are not willing to give in to each other, let the Seven Gods decide."
The nobles' faces changed as they heard the hidden meaning.
Laenor paused after hearing this and did not dare make a decision on his own. He subconsciously looked behind him.
Laena's face was frozen; he wasn't going to be polite.
He didn't want to give face!
You really treat the Velaryon family like soft persimmons.
"You..."
Before she could speak, her fist was grabbed by someone.
When she turned around, she saw that it was Aemon.
He pulled her back and nodded slightly to Laenor.
Seeing this, Laenor felt suddenly relieved and shouted, "I apply for a trial by combat!"
The entire audience erupted in conversation.
Orion looked angry and glanced at Aemon, who showed no emotion.
A trial by combat could be replaced.
Aemon had already demonstrated his skills at the tournament.
"Why, you don't dare?"
Laenor became excited and pointed the tip of his sword at the other party.
Jeyne looked at Orion but said nothing.
Cold sweat covered Orion's forehead, and he turned back to look at his allies.
He was confident in his martial arts skills and was considered outstanding in the valley.
But if he faced "Dragon Slayer" Aemon, he would definitely be hacked to death on the spot.
"I'll do it!"
Corwin Corbray stood up and said solemnly, "Brother, I'll do it for you."
Orion hesitated, then opened his mouth to ask if it was okay.
"Leave it to me."
Corwin drew the sword from his waist, and its cold light pierced people's eyes.
Aemon, the master forger and lover of Valyrian steel, was instantly attracted to it.
It was a Valyrian steel longsword:
It was the ancestral sword of the Corbray family: Lady Forlorn.
The sword's body was silver-gray with symmetrical ripples like water all over it.
The hilt was cross-shaped, with a diamond-shaped ruby inlaid at its end.
"What a beautiful Valyrian steel sword."
Aemon licked his lips, falling in love with it at first sight.
The Targaryen family sword, Blackfyre, also had a ruby inlaid at the end of its hilt.
However, after it was changed to a seven-pointed star, it lost its sharpness.
The blade of the "Blackfyre" sword is also slightly wider, which does not suit Aemon's aesthetic preferences or fighting style.
"I will fight for my brother. Who will come?"
Corwin asked aloud, but he had already chosen his opponent.
He is the strongest knight of the Corbray family.
When his father was alive, he gave him the family sword, Lady Forlorn.
"Cousin, I can take your place."
Aemon smiled faintly and did not hesitate.
Laenor nodded vigorously and said gratefully, "Thank you, cousin."
His combat skills are good, but he can't reach the level of a master.
Let the little cousin go; he's bound to win!
A trial by combat is a way to adjudicate and resolve disputes.
Once agreed upon, the two disputing parties will fight to the death, and the survivor will win the trial.
In the center of the hall,
A narrow, fish-beam wooden door stands between two slender pillars.
The door was engraved with a crescent shape and had a heavy bronze bolt.
The door opens inward and leads directly to an opening with a 600-foot-high rock valley below.
This was the moon gate used to execute criminals.
Under the gaze of Rhaenyra and Jeyne,
Corwin hesitated for a moment before refusing the heavy armor his brother had prepared for him. He wore only a more flexible chainmail.
"Don't worry. My brother will seek justice for you."
Before going on stage, Corwin touched his sister's head; his expression was firm.
Martha cried and shook her head, begging him to give up the trial by combat.
"Say something auspicious."
Corwin's face darkened slightly, and he turned to go on stage.
In contrast, Aemon approached the battle lightly, ordering Gunthor to fetch a rune giant sword as tall as a person.
"Prince, if I win by chance, I hope you will do what you say."
Corwin suddenly spoke.
Aemon was stunned for a moment. "What?"
Corwin replied, "My sister only wants that lunatic to apologize solemnly. She doesn't want her hands stained with blood."
This made Aemon no longer confused.
Another internal conflict?
Corwin's eyes flashed with a hint of helplessness as he said, "My eldest brother is a lord, and I am a knight."
Got it!
Aemon's eyes showed a little more admiration.
A trial by combat could be initiated by one party, and the other party could hardly refuse.
If Lord Orion refused, the matter would be over.
Corwin wanted to make the decision for his sister; it was also a matter of dying for his brother.
With this thought, he glanced back at Laena.
If he remembered correctly, Corwin was his half-brother-in-law.
During the turmoil over the succession to the Eyrie after Jeyne's death, he conquered Runestone.
Gunthor was the Lord of Runestone at the time. When the two of them dueled, they were both shot dead by a hidden arrow.
Aemon smiled and said, "Let's make a bet."
"I don't bet!"
Corwin shook his head and refused to gamble.
Aemon's mouth twitched slightly as he cursed Corwin's stubbornness.
"I'll give you a chance. If you beat me, you can make the decision. Your sister will be the princess's female companion."
Aemon threw out the bait.
How many noble ladies in the Seven Kingdoms would compete for that position?
Corwin was silent.
After a long while, he asked, "What if I lose?"
"Your sister can still be the princess's companion."
Aemon grinned. "But you have to compensate me with the family sword, Lady Forlorn."
"No, the sword belongs to the family."
Corwin refused decisively.
"The holder does not have the right to own the family sword."
"I know you can't make the decision."
Aemon looked at the nervous Orion and said bluntly, "Raise the bet? If I lose the trial by combat, Riverdale will compensate you."
"You..."
Orion was speechless.
The conditions were tempting, but it was obviously a trap.
If he didn't agree, it would seem like he didn't care about his brother, and it would be no different from letting him die.
His interests and human nature attacked him together.
With no way to retreat, Orion gritted his teeth and said, "Corwin, if you win the trial by combat, Riverdale will be yours."
"Brother."
Corwin was stunned.
"Don't waste time. Come fight."
Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Aemon raised the rune giant sword with one hand, overjoyed.
His opponent made a life-or-death separation, as if he were some kind of villain.
Hehehe!
Corwin focused, moved swiftly, and the elegant Lady Forlorn in his hand slashed out sideways.
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