New chapter! Thanks for all the support!
x
Moat Cailin, inside the Gatehouse Tower.
After Crey returned to Winterfell, Robb had arranged for him to serve as the point of contact with Sam's intelligence network.
The moment Robb announced the formal start of the council, Crey stood and loudly reported the general state of the war.
"According to the intelligence we just received, House Lannister launched a full assault along three routes seven days ago.
Kevan Lannister led an army of roughly fifteen thousand men and defeated about four thousand Riverlands soldiers at the foot of the Golden Tooth.
After that, he followed the river road and led his troops straight to Riverrun. He has now made camp outside the castle and trapped House Tully inside.
Tywin Lannister led nearly twenty thousand men from the Goldroad, removing Riverlands strongholds along the way.
When this report was sent, he was attacking Pinkmaiden. With the strength he commands, he has likely already taken the castle.
And Gregor Clegane is leading roughly a thousand cavalry throughout the Riverlands, killing, burning, and plundering everywhere. Whether village or town, he has leveled them all."
"Did I not write to my uncle long ago and tell him to gather his bannermen at Riverrun, wait for us to join him, and then march together?"
Hearing Crey's report, Robb tapped the index finger of his right hand rhythmically against the long table and asked with a frown.
"Yes. But clearly, Lord Edmure had ideas of his own and did not follow Your Grace's advice."
Crey nodded and answered Robb with some helplessness.
"Map."
Robb quietly gave the order to Gendry at his side. As his attendant, Gendry immediately spread the map he was carrying across the council table and placed the wolf-head and lion-head markers in the appropriate positions.
"My lords, how should we proceed from here? Does anyone have an opinion?"
Seeing that Gendry had finished laying out the map, Robb nodded his thanks to him, then asked the northern lords seated around the long table.
"Your Grace, we should immediately march south and strike Kevan Lannister's army directly.
When the time comes, Lord Edmure will certainly attack from Riverrun, and with us striking from both sides, we will be able to destroy them completely."
After Eddard's company over the past few days, Lord Rickard had already begun to emerge from the pain of losing his son.
Hearing Robb's question, he immediately stood, pointed at the map on the table, and gave his proposal.
"Yes, that is what I think as well."
"Lord Rickard is right.
Once Kevan's army is dealt with, we can join forces with House Tully's army and deal with Tywin's army together."
"I agree."
As soon as Lord Rickard finished speaking, most of the northern lords nodded in agreement.
"Then how should we reach Riverrun?"
Robb did not say whether he agreed or disagreed. He merely threw out another question.
"The fastest road is, of course, to pass through the Twins, cross the Green Fork, and then head straight down to Riverrun."
Hearing Robb's question, Lord Macey, who had not managed to state his view earlier, immediately rose with elegant bearing, first saluted Robb, and then offered his opinion.
A handsome middle-aged man about as tall as Lord Cerwyn, with a goatee on his chin, stood and refuted him.
"Walder Frey will not let us pass the Twins so easily.
With an army of more than twenty thousand men, if he calculates his toll by head, it will be a sum the entire North cannot bear."
"Lord Howland, that is not quite right.
These are not ordinary times. Riverrun is being besieged by the Lannisters.
Lord Walder is a bannerman of House Tully. We are going to rescue his liege lord, so surely he will not charge us a bridge toll."
Lord Macey clearly did not understand Walder Frey, and he answered according to the North's usual way of thinking.
Howland Reed, a lord rarely seen in the North, had personally answered Robb's call for reasons unknown.
He gave a soft laugh and replied:
"You underestimate the Late Lord Frey. He is far greedier than you imagine.
In the past, when Lord Eddard led us to join King Robert's rebellion, Lord Walder still demanded a toll from us.
House Frey has always maintained strict neutrality. Without enormous benefit, he will never lean toward either side."
"Then should we take the kingsroad, pass through the crossroads near the Trident, and turn onto the river road?"
Seeing Lord Howland speak with such certainty, Lord Macey hesitated before offering another route.
"If we take that road, setting aside the time wasted by the detour...
Just from the route Tywin Lannister is taking as he captures strongholds, we can see he is heading straight for the crossroads.
By the time we arrive, they will likely already be arrayed and waiting for us."
Lord Harris, Lord Macey's old rival, finally found his chance and immediately stood to refute him.
Seeing every suggestion of his refuted, Lord Macey, who was often targeted by Lord Harris, rolled his eyes and simply sat back down without another word.
"We have to go through the Twins. That is the best plan."
"But we cannot possibly pay the bridge toll."
"What if half the army goes through the Twins and half takes the kingsroad?"
After Lord Macey sat down, the many northern lords began discussing the problem among themselves.
"Why think so much? We should simply march our army to his doorstep. If House Frey will not let us pass, we flatten the Twins."
Listening to the noisy argument, the fierce-looking Greatjon frowned and suddenly stood. With one direct sentence, he cut through the dispute.
"Impossible. Lord Eddard once considered that problem as well.
We inspected the Twins carefully back then. The castle is easy to defend and difficult to attack. The stone keeps and towers on both sides are filled with arrow slits and murder holes, and both ends of the bridge are blocked by thick, sturdy iron portcullises.
If we truly want to take the Twins, we will likely have to break them from within."
Hearing the Greatjon's words, Lord Howland, who knew the Twins rather well, shook his head and rejected the idea.
"According to you, this will not do and that will not do. Lord Howland, do you mean for us to watch Riverrun fall with our eyes wide open?"
The Greatjon raised his brows and glared at Lord Howland, who had been rejecting every suggestion.
"Cough. Enough. My lords, please be quiet."
Seeing the hall thick with tension, Robb coughed once, settled the room, and continued.
"Since Riverrun is under siege, we must march south as quickly as possible. So the route has basically been decided. We will pass through the Twins and go straight to Riverrun.
Lord Norrey, please set out at once for the Twins. In my name, negotiate the bridge toll with House Frey.
Our army marches tomorrow, straight for the Twins.
This bridge, if House Frey allows it, we cross. If they do not allow it, we cross all the same."
"As you command, Your Grace."
As soon as Robb finished speaking, the taciturn Lord Norrey stood from behind the council table, saluted, and accepted the order.
"Good. After seven days on the march, I imagine everyone is tired. That will be all for today."
"Yes, Your Grace."
Seeing that Robb had set the plan, the lords saluted and withdrew.
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