Chapitre 39: King of Mountain and Vale
The Twins, The Riverlands
They came in the middle of the night, the guards weren't expecting an attack and when the bridge came down and eight thousand soldiers of the northern army who were at Wolf's Bridge came from both sides of the bridge, they couldn't form a defense in time. Half the men, fifteen hundren, died before they could even put an armor. Stevron Frey tried to rally the men around him but was cut in half from the right shoulder to the left hip by Ice. His son, Ryman Frey, screamed when seeing this and attacked but his scream was cut short when Desmond beheaded him. Jared and Rhaegar Frey were cut down easily by Marissa. The Northern soldiers killed every man with Frey blood they could find. At the end of the night, the castle was flying under the direwolf banner and only Walder Frey, the women and children were left alive.
"So what were our losses?" asked Aryan
"Barely half a hundred. We took them by surprise and these fools were really pathetic with a sword. It feels like I dirtied my blade when I slew them. I've heard about the prowess of the Last Dragon with a sword, his namesake was a disappointment." the answer came from Marissa.
"What of the women and children, my Lord" asked Larence Snow
"The women will be shipped to their mother's families, as for the children... I don't know what is worse, kill them or letting them live and have them grow up so they would realize that they are Freys." Aryan said with a smile and the northeners laughed at his jape.
They were interrupted when two northern soldiers brought a shirtless old man and pushed him on his knees, William Dustin decided to talk "The Lord of the Twins, the Late Walder Frey. When you blocked our army seven and ten years ago, did you think that there would be no reckoning? Now the castle you were so proud of, the castle you were taunting us to storm, is bathing in your children's and grandchildren's blood."
Walder Frey's eyes were bulging, words coming from his lips were nothing but angry spits and spurts, he was sobbing and his voice was choking. He finally found his voice "Curse you! The Seven hells to all of you heathens! I hope that every single one of you die slowly and painfully. And when you do I will be waiting just so you can my laugh for all eternity!"
Aryan smiled and took out his dagger, he then grabbed Walder Frey's head and said "I wanted to give you to a Heart Tree but I decided against it. I respect my Gods, the first and the last Gods, too much to sully them with your filthy blood." he then sliced his belly open, he then put his hands inside his stomach and took out his entrails. Walder Frey was screaming himself hoarse while Aryan looked at one of his soldiers and told him "His screams annoy me." he then gave him the Late Lord Frey's guts and told him "Shut him up." the soldier nodded and hung the Late Lord Frey in his halls with his own entrails.
When entering his chamber, he noticed one of the man he send on a mission a fortnight ago in the room. He called one of his most trusted advisor and his father's best friend to join him and asked the man "Is it done? Are the whore who helped murder my father and her bastard whelp dead?"
"Yes, as you instructed a few moons ago, all the Vale has learned the rumor that Lysa Arryn accused the Lannisters to have Jon Arryn killed. And i did the deed as you commanded. I slit the boy's throat in front of his mother and told her that 'Brandon and Rickard Stark send their regards.' I then choked her out. All the Vale will believe it is the Lannisters and flock behind Harrold Hardyng, soon to be Arryn, for revenge."
"Good." said William Dustin, his wrath for his best friend's death apparent.
"Good job, you may return to your post. And if that fool Lyn Corbray challenge another sheepfucker of these mountains, cut off his hand." Aryan said before the man left while he was thinking.
"How did you know it was Lysa Arryn?" William Dustin asked.
"I put a lot of resources into it and finally found out from the daughter of an ex servant of Riverrun that that idiot Lysa was filled with revenge when my father nearly butchered Baelish. She was in love and blamed my father for his banishment. She was the one who convinced my father to go to King's Landing. My father thought she was his sister's friend and left. He heard the rumors of the kidnapping in Maidenpool and them... Well you know the rest of the history."
"You promised Ned that you would allow him to deal with the person who conspired against your family."
"I did and I will give him the person behind the rumors about my aunt but I couldn't have him deal with the sister of his wife. He would have sent her to the Silent Sisters and spare the boy, that pathetic brat was still sucking at his mom's tits at nine name day, and that would have been unacceptable."
~
Dragonstone
The statues of the Seven were burning. King Stannis allowed his Red Priestess to burn them in front of his army as an offering to the Lord of Light.
"Lord of Light, come to us in our darkness, we offer you these false gods. Take them and cast your light upon us for the night is dark and full of terrors." chanted Melisandre.
"FOR THE NIGHT IS DARK AND FULL OF TERRORS."
"After the long summer, darkness will fall heavy on the world, stars will bleed, the cold breath of winter shall freeze the seas and the dead shall rise in the north." continued Melisandre
Davos Seaworth, his son Dale and Maester Cressen were watching this with frowns. Cressen was outraged "We need to stop her." he said to Davos.
The Onion Knight sighed and responded "Not now."
Maester Cressen, too stubborn, refused Davos' advice and came before the pyre and decided to address everyone "All you men were named under the light of the Seven, this is how you treat the Gods of your fathers? Are you so eager to spit on your ancestors?" which was amusing to one of Lord Reed's warg, especially when you know the maesters of Oldtown and the Hightowers were the first to turn their cloak on the Old Gods and the first to break the Pact. This spy was special because he was protected by both Aryan and Kinvara so that Melisandre could not expose him.
Melisandre put her hand on the Maester's face and asked him "Do you want to stop me? Stop me." Cressen, seeing no reinforcement and no one coming to his aid, retreated. Melisandre continued "In the ancient books, it's written that a warrior will draw a burning sword from the fire and that sword shall be 'Lightbringer'." she came before Stannis "Stannis of the House Baratheon, warrior of Light, your sword awaits you." Stannis went in front of the Smith' statue and took out the flaming sword and pointed it in the air through the cheers of his men.
Melisandre chanted "For the night is dark and full of terrors."
Stannis followed her "For the night is dark and full of terrors."
When everyone followed Stannis and left, Davos came in front of the statues of the Seven with regret in his eyes. Cressen followed him and told him "This woman will lead him into a war, he cannot win."
"Stannis is our king. We follow where he lead even if we don't like the path."
"Since that boar killed his brother, every Lord wants a coronation."
"I don't serve the others, I serve Stannis."
"As do I but loyal service means telling hard truths. He's surrounded by fools, fanatics and sycophants but he trusts you Davos. If you tell him the truth..."
"And what's the truth?"
~
"Your Grace, the Lannisters are the true enemy, if for the time being you could make peace with your brother." Davos advised.
"I won't make peace with Renly while he calls himself king."
"He has the Reach and the Stormlands."
"Stannis does not need to beg for this Lord or that Lord for support. The Lord of Light stands behind him." Melisandre interrupted.
"And how many ships does the Lord of Light got in his fleets?"
"He has no need for ships."
"I'm sure he doesn't but we do if we are going to war."
"If not Renly, your grace, then send a raven to Aryan Stark for a meeting."
"None of the northeners who are mining the dragonstone bend the knee. Every time they said that they would follow whoever the Stark of Winterfell chooses. And Aryan Stark despises the South and the southeners. Send ravens to the Riverlands and the Vale to confirm their support and asked them to block Lannisters' troop to arrive at King's Landing. Joffrey and Renly are thieves, they'll bent the knee or I will destroy them."
Cressen got up and apologized to Stannis and offered a drink to Melisandre, ignoring Davos' warning. He drank a sip of wine from his glass and offered it to Melisandre who watched him bleed and starting to fall with a smile, she then downed the glass. Cressen, poisoned, felled and died. Melisandre with a smile looked at the Maester's corpse and said "The night is dark and full of terrors, old man. But the fire burns them all away."
~
The Eyrie, The Vale
"We must do something. The Lannisters killed our Lord and now they killed his son and his wife thanks to one of her handmaiden from King's Landing. This is unacceptable. What will they do next? Appoint that whoremonger as Lord of the Vale? I say no." proclaimed Lord Royce.
Lady Anya Waynwood nodded and chimed in "I agree my lords. What has Westeros come to, with Bastard Kings and Bastard Lords? I say we break off. To the Seven Hells with the Iron Throne and the Lannisters."
Silence followed her declaration. Yohn Royce looked around the room to see how his fellow Lords felt. Some looked in agreement, some looked thoughtful and others looked as if they were in complete disagreement.
Lord Lyonel Corbray asked "What has the Iron Throne done to us? We suffered beneath the Targaryens with only a couple of competent rulers. When we fought for Robert Baratheon we thought that things will be different but no. The kingdom is five millions in debts and more and more taxes came each year, no marriages to a Vale House for either his children, thank the gods for that, nor his brothers. Were we not the first to call the banners in rebellion? We bowed to the dragons and now the dragons are dead. Why should a stag or a lion rule over the falcon?"
"AYE!" shouts could be heard through the hall.
Lord Redfort spoke up "Who will lead us then? A new kingdom must have a strong king."
Lord Royce answered "For the good part of the last decade, Lady Waynwood and myself trained someone worthy to become Overlord of the Vale. You all know the man who is betrothed to my sweet Ysilla, my future goodson, Lord Harry do you not? 'Harry the Heir' as every man, woman and child of the Vale called him even through the anger of Lysa Tully and her greedy father. I propose we give a new title. King Harry! The King of Mountain and Vale!"
Lord Royce bend the knee towards the future King. Of course, said King was informed previously so there was nothing but pure focus and determination present in his face.
Lady Waynwood spoke up next "Harry had been my ward since his infancy. I know him to be as honorable as Jon Arryn before him. I've seen him as a son and seeing him grow into the man he has become fills me with pride. To King Harrold Arryn! King of Mountain and Vale!"
She kneeled and was followed by Lords Belmore, Corbray, Egen, Grafton, Hersy, Hunter, Melcolm, Redfort, Templeton who all bent the knee to the first Arryn King in three hundred years.
Harry stood up and said with a voice full of conviction "The Iron Throne has done nothing but insult us since Aemma Arryn death. Just in recent history, four Lords and Heir of the two strongest Houses were killed by the throne, the heirs of the Eyrie and Runestone were both killed by the Mad King with Brandon Stark, Elbert and Kyle are not forgotten, nor have we forgotten 'the Darling of the Vale' Ser Denys who was killed by Jon Connington at the Stoney Sept. Have your troops ready within a fortnight my Lords, we will avenge our dear Lord Jon Arryn, we ride for Pinkmaiden. We have Lions to hunt."
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone