The flames were still burning, along with the eerie atmosphere at the scene.
"You all!" Arthur slowly spoke, "Rise!"
The soldiers rose one by one, their eyes fixed like torches on Arthur, who stood illuminated by the firelight.
All eyes converged on Arthur, who, though only sixteen, stood tall and wore a noble black robe.
The sight of that black lion monster, which terrified them, yet knelt at Arthur's feet, was like a Westeros legend, deeply etched into their minds.
And unlike common folklore! Gods above! They were witnesses! They were participants in this legend!
In the soldiers' eyes, Arthur's figure at this moment was no different from a deity.
Although that strange creature seemed to blaspheme the Seven Gods! But that was not important!
Arthur was a bit awkward; for him, if he wasn't acting, he could perform very well.
But once he had to act, his movements and body language would become stiff.
"Lucien! Hakon! Soldiers!" Arthur raised his clenched right hand, "Clear the battlefield! Count the casualties!"
"Yes!" Lucien and Hakon's voices were hoarse from their previous roars. "Yes!"
Everyone dispersed.
"Crack! Crack!"
A sound of bones grinding came from the side of the forest.
Bronn limped out stealthily, his face and body covered in mud and blood, with some areas stained with black dye.
With every step he took, his entire skeleton seemed to protest with a creaking sound.
"Put it on the tab!" Bronn grimaced, walking up to Arthur. "I've added a glorious chapter to your family's history!"
"How did you do that?" Arthur glanced at him, a bit shocked.
Bronn didn't look at him, but stood beside him, looking at the battlefield being cleared:
"You're very lucky! I caught two lions!"
"Maybe they're brothers! But that's not important!"
"I slaughtered one! Skinned him!"
"Oh! Moving around in that damned hide was too painful!!"
"Right! The two lions also need to be paid for! I slaughtered one for you!"
"You should know that lions are rare animals in Westeros these days!"
"There are plenty of important people who want one! To hang in their castles as a hunting trophy!"
Although he didn't exert any effort in catching the lions, it was all due to the efforts of the twenty men Arthur assigned to him, but that wasn't important!
"You seem very experienced?" Arthur turned to look at him; he admitted he was very curious about these things.
Bronn shrugged and slowly spoke:
"Hey! I heard a story like this in Dorne!"
"A newborn baby from a noble family strangled a poisonous snake placed in his crib to assassinate him!"
"A nine-year-old noble child in the Stormlands single-handedly killed a dozen robbers!"
"A teenage noble child from the North was stranded in the frozen wilderness for several months! Eventually, he was escorted home by a white bear!"
"Behind all legends, the common folk fear, enemies dread, and the rule of nobles and priests becomes more stable."
"When I become a noble! I'll say my parents were two wolves! A wolf cub raised on wolf milk!! Ha!"
Arthur couldn't help but pat his shoulder, "A wolf cub? Don't say it! With your unkempt appearance, you really do look like one!"
"Tonight is the full moon! Interested in letting out a howl?"
Bronn ignored him, turned and walked away, leaving his back, and waved his hand: "Don't forget to put it on the tab!"
Arthur found it uninteresting and looked at the soldiers who had almost finished clearing the battlefield.
He almost forgot there was one more thing.
He waved his hand, signaling them to assemble.
Soon, the troops were assembled under Hakon and Lucien's command.
The air was filled with the smell of blood, charcoal, sweat, and even the aroma of roasted meat...
"Hakon!" Arthur shouted, looking at the assembled army.
Hakon stepped forward at the sound, his armor stained with blood, his face pale because he knew what had happened.
He walked up to Arthur, knelt on one knee, and bowed his head deeply.
"Lord Arthur! Hakon is guilty!" Hakon's voice was low and heavy. "The right flank dispersed! Nearly causing a great disaster for my lord! Leading to some wildlings successfully escaping!"
The soldiers behind him all lowered their heads, their faces filled with guilt and unease.
Although Arthur knew that the reason for the incident was indeed that the supplies in the rear had been plundered.
The soldiers' personal property was there.
Sometimes, you might perform very well, or rather, perform up to standard, but what's infuriating is that someone in your same position performs even better.
The contrast created is too strong!
"I will not punish you!" Arthur's gaze swept over the soldiers behind him.
Every soldier he looked at lowered their head deeply.
"Soldiers lacking discipline! Indicates incompetent leadership!" Arthur's voice was cold. "Therefore, I will not punish you!"
"Your commander made a mistake! You tell me! What should be done?" The soldiers lowered their heads in silence, the atmosphere oppressive.
Hakon treated them very well, and they did not want Lord Arthur to punish him.
The entire scene remained silent, no one spoke.
Hakon suddenly straightened his back, unfastened his simple armor, and then took off his inner lining.
He stood bare-chested, revealing his back covered in new scars.
He snatched the rattan cane from Lucien's hand.
"Come up! One whip each!" Hakon roared, "Execute military law!"
He knew he was indeed deeply guilty, having ruined Lord Arthur's important matter.
If the right flank hadn't dispersed, Lord Arthur could have even cut off the head of the strongest tribal leader in the High Mountain Range.
His Lord Arthur could have been even more successful, and he had ruined everything.
He thought of how, when the wildlings charged and the formation dispersed, he roared repeatedly but failed to regroup the troops, and he even thought of drawing his sword and committing suicide.
He only thought of how he had failed Lord Arthur! So he charged towards the wildlings! Wanting to fight them to the death! But he didn't expect the black lion to appear!
"What are you waiting for!!" Hakon shrieked, "Get up here!!!"
Lucien looked at Arthur, wanting to say something, but was stopped by Hakon's gaze.
The soldiers were finally shaken awake by the roar.
A young soldier stepped forward, trembling, and raised the rattan cane in his hand.
He lightly struck, tears streaming down his face.
"Do it again!!!" Hakon roared once more. "Harder!!"
The young soldier swung the long whip again with a crisp crack!
"Do it again!!!!!" Hakon turned his head and glared furiously.
"Crack!" The young soldier finally swung hard, and a blood-red mark instantly appeared on the flesh.
Tears streamed down his face, and he retreated in despair.
Arthur was somewhat silent; he did indeed want to punish Hakon, but absolutely not in such a cruel way.
If over a hundred people each took a whip, how could a person be well! But he couldn't stop it now either.
The soldiers gritted their teeth and stepped forward one by one.
The whips fell, carrying a whistling sound, carrying droplets of blood, leaving behind scars, some shallow, some deep.
Arthur looked at Lucien, his eyes signaling him to give an out, but this idiot had no flexibility or adaptability.
He just kept wiping his red eyes.
Damn it! Arthur suddenly missed Bronn, who had just darted into the forest.
Sometimes, loyalty alone isn't enough; it seems you really need to have some brains too...
None of Hakon's soldiers showed mercy, because if anyone held back.
Hakon would glare back at him with bloodshot eyes, roaring and demanding another whip!
When Hakon's last soldier finished whipping, Hakon's back was already a bloody mess, with blood flowing.
Yet he still knelt ramrod straight, his posture erect, like a High Mountain.
His former farmer's demeanor was gone forever.
He knew Lord Arthur would not heavily punish him!
So he chose the most painful method.
He wanted the deepest pain!
To engrave all of this deeply into his mind!