Hendry Breken choked and coughed violently at Arthur's words. It took him a great effort to catch his breath, and he looked at Arthur with the eyes of a madman.
He couldn't help but ask the person in front of him again, "My Lord, are you not joking with me?"
"Are you saying that you are really willing to lead your nine hundred men to attack an incredibly strong stone castle?"
This was simply unheard of; Hendry's voice changed pitch. He had indeed heard some legendary stories about the young man in front of him, who was a few years younger than himself, including easily taking Willow Wood City by sailing downstream. In his opinion, was the young man in front of him under the impression that attacking a stone castle was an easy and relaxed matter because of this? He blinked his eyes, looked into Arthur's eyes, and spoke again.
"You must be clear about the casualties in a siege, My Lord. With our limited manpower, it would be fine if we took the castle, but what if we couldn't?"
The relaxed expression on Arthur's face disappeared, replaced by a solemnity that was almost heavy.
He spoke in a very serious and heavy tone: "Ser Hendry, someone always has to do the right thing."
His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of every Breken Family Knight around him.
"If we lords all only think about preserving our own strength and turn a blind eye to the suffering of our allies, then when will the peace of the Riverlands truly arrive?"
Hendry Breken was completely stunned. He stared with wide eyes, Arthur's words repeatedly striking his perception like a warhammer. He tried to discern whether the young man in front of him had some problem with his head, like the old man Lechworth.
But he only saw a serious and solemn expression...
The word 'loyalty' exploded in his mind. Too loyal. He was more suited to be a Northerner than a Riverlander.
In the Riverlands, and even within the Seven Kingdoms, there was such a... pure... benevolent... Lord?
Arthur met his shocked and horrified gaze, but his mind was rapidly calculating. Preserving strength was certainly not wrong, but there were many ways to play the game.
Wandering aimlessly across the Riverlands plains like headless flies, as they were now, was not only meaningless but also sounded bad if word got out. They couldn't just blame the old man Lechworth's mental issues afterward, could they? The mission was to hunt down the Ironborn. Very well, wasn't there a group of Ironborn imprisoned in Licester Castle? Wasn't this fulfilling the mission assigned by Riverrun?
Attacking it would be justifiable. Besiege it for ten days to half a month, observe the kingdom's situation. As long as it was a siege, it would show their stance, and no one could criticize them. It would also count as "doing something."
And he highly doubted how many Ironborn defenders there could really be in that small castle.
Arthur looked at the crazy figure at the front of the procession, urged his warhorse, and slowly moved forward.
Seeing Arthur actually spurred his horse forward, intending to propose the matter, Hendry Breken gritted his teeth and shouted from behind him, "I absolutely disagree!"
"The soldiers of the Breken Family will never die in vain beneath the city walls!"
Arthur did not turn back to respond to him, but instead went directly to Lymon Lannister's side. The old Lord was still immersed in his own world, muttering to an empty space, completely unresponsive to Arthur's approach.
Arthur patiently rode alongside him for a while, listening to the old man's illogical ramblings, which seemed to be the old man talking to his sons who were no longer in this world.
He suddenly raised his voice: "Lord Lymon Lannister!"
The old man's body trembled slightly, but he did not turn to respond to Arthur, continuing to mutter to himself.
"I am willing to lead my army! With you! To retake your castle!"
These words were like a clap of thunder. Lymon Lannister stopped his aimless movements, and his originally cloudy and dull eyes suddenly shot forth a gleam in that instant.
He stopped his meaningless self-talk, and stiffly, inch by inch, turned his head, staring fixedly at Arthur with those suddenly clear eyes.
Arthur's heart skipped a beat. Was this old man... truly mad or faking it?
Or rather, was he using madness to conceal his passive behavior and avoid future punishment? Was he actually trying to preserve his strength by wandering around, since the Riverrun reinforcements led by Lord Vance were unwilling to help him retake his family castle? Why should he then expend his own strength to truly fight the Ironborn?
Having understood, Arthur met his gaze and nodded solemnly: "Yes, My Lord, we will reclaim your home."
Lymon Lannister's lips trembled violently, opening and closing, but he couldn't utter a single word. It wasn't that he hadn't thought of making a request to the other two commanders in the group, but he had assumed that this proposal would surely be met with fierce opposition from Hendry Breken and Arthur, just as it had been with the Riverrun reinforcements led by Vance.
Why should others bleed for his castle? Why should he humiliate himself?
He had never expected that this young man, rumored to be cold and bloodthirsty, sympathetic to commoners but somewhat "disrespectful" of the noble hierarchy, would actually take the initiative to propose to him a suggestion that was of no benefit to him, and even almost foolish.
The few Lechworth Family Knights accompanying the old Lord were also completely stunned by this sudden scene. They looked at Arthur, their eyes quickly shifting from initial wariness to shock, and finally transforming into an indescribable gratitude and admiration.
There was actually such a benevolent Lord in the Riverlands! Indeed, any judgment of a person must be made in person rather than by reputation! Rumors truly mislead people!
An excited Lechworth Family Knight immediately reined in his horse and charged towards Hendry Breken in the rear. A moment later, a pale-faced Hendry was summoned.
He immediately saw the scene: Arthur and Lymon Lannister stood side-by-side, their hands tightly clasped together, the old Lord so moved that he was weeping tears of joy, unable to speak.
Hendry instantly understood that Arthur had indeed made that foolish proposal. Truly, a big madman and a little madman.
He almost squeezed out these words through gritted teeth: "I disagree!!!"
"Our mission is to pursue the scattered Ironborn! Not to attack a fortified castle!!!"
No sooner had he spoken than the Lechworth Family Knights simultaneously, with a whoosh, angrily gripped the hilts of their swords. Seeing this, the Breken Family Knights also gathered around, not to be outdone, their hands on their waist swords.
Arthur's retainers also surged forward, and Arthur's ordinary soldiers, realizing that something was inexplicably wrong, instantly exchanged glances, quietly reaching for their weapons while staring at the ordinary soldiers of the other two groups who had not yet noticed the commotion. The atmosphere in the group instantly became tense.
Lymon Lannister's face flushed crimson at Hendry's words, his lips trembling, but he didn't know what to say. Others indeed had no reason to help him; it wasn't their duty.
Just then, Arthur stepped forward, blocking the old Lord.
He asked in a calm but irrefutable tone: "Ser Hendry, are not Ironborn entrenched in Licester Castle?"
Hendry was momentarily speechless. He still wanted to argue, but Arthur frowned, his voice suddenly rising, filled with serious and solemn questioning.
"The duty of the House Tully of Riverrun!!! Is to defend every inch of the Riverlands!!! Is to protect every one of its vassals!!!"
"Now! A noble family with a long history in the Riverlands! Their home is occupied by the Ironborn! Their family castle is wantonly desecrated by the enemy! Stained with filth!"
"Should we! As Knights and Lords of the Riverlands! Just stand by and watch! Do nothing!!!"
Arthur's gaze pierced Hendry like a sword. He delivered his final question, his voice echoing throughout the entire group.
"This! Is this the performance of the Breken Family!!!"
There was a deathly silence. No one dared to refute him. His official rhetoric was so brilliant, simply flawless. The surrounding Lechworth Family Knights were moved to tears of gratitude—a true noble.
Rosso Brun, a Knight Arthur himself had cultivated and who had secretly moved to one side, widened his eyes. Was this what this Lord should be saying? Hendry gritted his teeth. He had no way to refute Arthur's words, otherwise it would be his family that would lose face. If he refuted, wouldn't it truly imply that the Breken Family was selfish, cowardly, and cared nothing for honor?
What made Hendry feel even more suffocated was that he found even the Breken Family Knights he had brought seemed to feel ashamed.
They all lowered their heads, not daring to meet Arthur's aggressive gaze.
Hendry Breken looked deeply at Arthur with an extremely complex expression.
He yanked on the reins, and his warhorse let out a neigh.
"The Breken Family will not leave the group, but they will never participate in a meaningless siege operation."
He threw out these words and rode away indignantly without looking back.
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