Chapter 164: A Visitor to the Stone of the Vale, The True Dragon and the Young Wolf
The Vale, Stone of the Vale
Stone of the Vale is the ancestral seat of House Royce in the Vale, with a history dating back to the Dawn Age. House Royce once even defeated the invading Andals during their migration.
However, with the appearance of Artys Arryn, the "Falcon Knight," large areas of the Vale fell, and ultimately the Andals, represented by House Arryn, became the new masters of this land.
Lord Yohn Royce is a balding middle-aged man around fifty years old, always dressed in military attire. Due to his close personal friendship with Lord Eddard Stark, he had suggested that the Vale join forces with the Riverlands and the North to march on King's Landing after Eddard Stark was imprisoned.
However, Lady Lysa Arryn used the young Lord Robin Arryn to suppress him. This left the honor-bound Lord of Stone of the Vale very frustrated, and from then on, he no longer concerned himself with the affairs of the Eyrie.
In the recent deployment, Lord Yohn Royce only sent a force of over 1,000 men to support the Eyrie. It wasn't until Iron Oak City called for aid that he dispatched an army of 3,000 to assist.
At this moment, Lord Yohn Royce was in his study reading a book. A map of the Vale lay on his desk, and in his hand was a book titled "Annals of the Vale."
This book was compiled by Archmaester Arnel of the Citadel and describes in great detail the composition of the Mountain Clans within the Bright Moon Mountains.
The battle-hardened Lord Yohn Royce did not know much about these outsiders from the Bright Moon Mountains, but the combat power they displayed this time left him alarmed.
"Respected Lord Yohn, Maester Hengwyg requests an audience!"
Maester Hengwyg is the maester of Stone of the Vale and is one of the most prominent figures in the entire Vale. Many of Lord Yohn Royce's foster sons came to Stone of the Vale specifically because of this maester's reputation.
"Come in!"
After receiving Yohn Royce's approval, the attendant quickly opened the door.
Following that, a stout man wearing grey-black maester's robes appeared in the study. Maester Hengwyg looked to be about fifty years old and was considerably taller and larger than Lord Yohn Royce.
"Respected Lord Yohn! I believe you should see this plea for help. It is different from the one a while ago; this one just arrived from Seagull Town!"
"Seagull Town!?"
After repeating the name, Lord Yohn Royce was filled with surprise. If it were a plea from Iron Oak City, he might have found it normal, as his troops had only been dispatched for about a week.
But what Yohn Royce did not expect was that the first plea for help would actually come from Seagull Town. One must know that Seagull Town is one of the five major ports on the continent of Westeros.
In Yohn Royce's view, any noble with half a brain would never allow this city to fall into enemy hands, yet Count Jeyne Grafton had sent a plea for help just like that.
"Let me see, what is that idiot Jeyne… how… how is this possible!?"
Before opening the letter, Yohn Royce thought it was just a simple plea for help. But after opening it, the first thing that caught his eye was a description of the enemy already storming the city.
"What is it, Lord Yohn?"
Maester Hengwyg seemed to sense something wrong from his master's words and asked directly.
"Sea… Seagull Town has fallen. It was… it was done by the North and those merchants!"
Yohn Royce said with bitterness in his voice.
After Eddard Stark suffered in King's Landing and successfully returned to the North, Yohn Royce had a premonition that war might break out between the North and the Vale.
But what Yohn Royce didn't expect was that this day would come so quickly, though he wasn't entirely sure which specific force the North had sent.
No matter who was sent, it would be difficult for Yohn Royce to take action, because most of the lords and nobles in the North were people he had fought alongside.
"Sigh, what are we to do?"
"Lord Yohn! I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing. In my view, this is actually an opportunity for us!"
Upon hearing Yohn Royce's sigh, Maester Hengwyg spoke these words directly.
"What do you mean!?"
"The suggestion I am about to give is merely for your reference. Accept it if you need it, and if not, act as if I never said it!"
After saying this, Maester Hengwyg looked toward the servant in the study. Seeing his gaze, Yohn Royce immediately ordered the servant to leave.
"The Royce family is the oldest family in the Vale, and you possess noble blood. Now, only Robin Arryn remains of the main Arryn line. The primary reason Petyr Baelish came to the Vale is likely to use his influence to control the entire region."
Maester Hengwyg's words made Yohn Royce's heart skip a beat. As he considered the possibility, his expression shifted repeatedly, appearing deeply conflicted.
"You have a daughter of marriageable age, and Robin Arryn is not yet betrothed. If we cooperate in advance with that Dragon King who carries Northern blood, might some things take a different turn?"
Maester Hengwyg's words seemed to possess a certain magic, sending Yohn Royce's thoughts soaring into the sky, where he once again saw that legendary peak, the Giant's Lance.
"Knock, knock, knock…"
Just as Lord Yohn Royce was lost in thought, a sudden, hurried knocking at the door interrupted him.
"Enter!"
As the study door opened, Maester Hengwyg's apprentice Amy ran in. After handing a raven message to Maester Hengwyg, the somewhat shy young apprentice withdrew.
"Oh! It seems our Ice Dragon King has already prepared for you to make a choice!"
Maester Hengwyg had a curious smile on his face as he held the raven message. This was the second time he had received a raven message sealed with the dragonwolf sigil.
As a maester from the Citadel, Maester Hengwyg was full of curiosity about dragons. He was not like those old fogies who always held the attitude that magic would destroy the world.
"Wh… what?"
Seeing the raven message in Maester Hengwyg's hand, Yohn Royce was filled with internal conflict, which reached its peak after he opened the letter.
Two days later, near the gates of Stone of the Vale
The early morning at Stone of the Vale carried a hint of chill. As the sunlight dispersed the mist clinging to the sea, it cast rays of pale gold light onto Yohn Royce and his family.
Yohn Royce had three sons. The eldest had gone to support the Castle of the Moon, the second died in the war between Stannis and Renly, and the youngest died at the Wall.
In addition to these three sons, Yohn Royce had five daughters. To show his welcome to Jon, Yohn Royce had called out everyone in the family except for his late wife and two sons.
"Clop, clop, clop…"
While Yohn Royce was imagining Jon's appearance, the sound of hoofbeats echoed from the distant stone road. Soon after, a troop of thirty riders appeared grandly in their field of vision.
The man leading them wore a suit of black armor, with the blood-red dragonwolf sigil on his chest looking particularly eye-catching. His blood-red cloak billowed in the wind, giving him a very imposing presence.
Behind him, a slightly thinner curly-haired youth of similar age was also galloping forward on a warhorse. It looked as if they were racing.
As they approached the reception area, they quickly reined in their horses. It was clear that the man in the dragonwolf armor had won by a narrow margin.
"Sister Yasina! Look, that woman actually has silver hair and purple eyes. Is she Valyrian? I thought Valyrians were extinct?"
While Yohn Royce was marveling at the youth of Jon and Robb, a question from his youngest daughter shifted his attention to the people behind them.
"Respected ladies, that is someone with Valyrian blood. There are still many people with such blood on the eastern continent. Now, the guests have arrived, so let us be quiet!"
Maester Hengwyg was also among the welcoming party. Seeing the young ladies' discussion, he quickly interjected.
"It has been a long time, respected Lord Yohn. I wonder if you still remember Robb and me?"
After tidying his clothes, Jon led Robb and Daenerya Velaryon toward Lord Yohn Royce. Yohn Royce stepped forward warmly, and after the parties embraced, Jon asked directly.
"I certainly remember. I didn't expect that in just a few years, you two would already be leading armies. You are much more capable than the boy in our family."
Yohn Royce was not being complimentary; his eldest son was indeed still in the apprentice stage. For this expedition, Yohn Royce had sent several knights to assist him, yet the two youths before him had already led an army to take Seagull Town. The contrast between the two sides was clear.
"Ser Andar is a powerful knight. Both Robb and I still have much to learn from him!"
Jon's words pleased Yohn Royce greatly. He still had great confidence in the skills and education of his three sons.
"Very well, let us go! Last time I visited Winterfell, you hosted me. This time, it is my turn to host you!"
After the group exchanged pleasantries and introductions, Yohn Royce directly led Jon, Robb, and their party into Stone of the Vale.
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