บท 99: Chapter 86
Aegon, Visenya, and Rhaenys thundered across the forest on their horses, accompanied by some of their trusted men. They were on their way to Winterfell to meet Torren Stark and discuss the possibility of forming an alliance.
Torren had informed them that Mern IX Gardner and Loren Dayne Martell would also be present at the meeting, and Aegon, Visenya, and Rhaenys were okay with that.
As they slowed down to rest their horses, Aegon surveyed the surroundings from his horse. Rhaenys muttered, "Why couldn't we come on our dragons?"
Visenya, slightly annoyed, replied, "Because that would send the wrong message. We want to make an alliance with them, not make them our enemies."
They soon wheeled their horses around and thundered off towards Winterfell. When they arrived, Aegon recognized the three individuals awaiting them.
King Torren Stark stood before them, lean and tall with a shaggy head of dark hair flecked with grey, and keen grey eyes. He wielded the Stark family ancestral sword, Brisingr.Next to him was his trusted advisor and Friend Ingeras Tepes, Lord of House of Tepes.
While Loren Martell Dayne was middle aged man with reddish copper skin and red tattoos on his face and body.Next to him was
Offering a fake smile, Torren said, "Welcome to Winterfell."
Sensing the tense atmosphere, Aegon replied with a smile, "Yes, I have heard many things about the famous home of the Starks."
Aegon also gave respects to King of Reach, Mern IX and King of Dorne Loren Martell Dayne.
Torren nodded and led them inside. Visenya was awed by the design of the place, noticing that Winterfell was thriving.
Winterfell was a massive castle complex, spanning several acres and protected by massive concentric walls, resembling the rings of a tree. At its heart was the Castle of Starks, surrounded by the winter town outside the outer circle.
Inside the walls, dozens of courtyards and small open spaces served as training and practice areas. Winterfell's towers and halls featured diamond-shaped window panes.
Upon entering the castle, Aegon, Rhaenys, and Visenya felt the warmth surrounding them.
Ingeras Tepes noticed their awe and smiled, saying, "It is the natural hot springs. The water is piped through walls and chambers to heat them, making Winterfell more comfortable than other castles during the harsh northern winters."
Then they were led to the meeting hall, which featured a long table and a massive hearth with a wolf's head carved into the stone above it. They all took their seats.
Being blunt, Torren asked, "So what does the Great Aegon the Conqueror want with a small Kings like us?"
Aegon chuckled at the straightforward question, as he hadn't heard such talk in a while. He decided to be honest and replied, "I want an alliance with your fellow Kingdoms through marriage, either to my future daughter or granddaughter."
Upon hearing this, Torren, Mern IX and Loren's expression turned thoughtful, likely considering the connection between Aegon's Valyrian heritage and the Ancient Gods, which might have influenced their decision to forge alliances in Westeros.While Torren was not able to command Bewilder Beast, the rest of th knew they each held every powerful
Ingeras studied Aegon and asked, "There is something else, isn't there? You didn't choose Westeros on a whim. From what I understand, Essos has been pleading with you to intervene in the Free Cities. You could have easily made them follow you with your Dragons and Valyrian heritage. There was no need to please the people of Westeros, who still see you as an outsider. There's something more that made you come to Westeros."
Aegon's eyes widened, and Rhaenys and Visenya were equally shocked. Aegon saw this as an opportunity to reveal his vision.
He took a deep breath and explained, "You probably know about Daenys the Dreamer, who foresaw the Doom of Valyria."
Torren Stark, Ingeras Tepes, Mern IX Gardner, and Loren Dayne Martell nodded as Aegon continued, "I also had a vision of sorts, like a terrible winter gusting out of the distant North, that would destroy the world of the living. It was a white figure with glowing blue eyes."
Upon hearing this, Torren, Ingeras, Loren, and Mern IX understood the gravity of the situation. Torren slumped into his chair, muttering, "So they are coming back, the White Walkers are back."
Torren had taken Aegon's warning about the White Walkers seriously and had already started recruiting people to guard the Wall. Though he wished it wasn't true, he knew he had to prepare for the impending threat.
This caught Aegon, Rhaenys, and Visenya's interest, as they had heard tales of the White Walkers but hadn't fully believed in their existence. Many considered such stories to be mere myths or children's tales.
Aegon asked, "Are these the same White Walkers from the tales of the Long Night?"
Mern IX nodded and answered, "Yes, our ancestors were warned by the Ancient Gods of their existence, and because of that, we were able to gather enough people to fend off their first invasion."
Loren added, "My ancestor, Elden Dayne, fought in that war. He described how an army of ice-covered beings emerged from the darkness, riding their dead horses and hunting with their packs of pale spiders, big as hounds. Most Andals might consider these stories to be old tales meant to scare children, but they are very much real."
Visenya then questioned, "Why does everyone think they are myths now?"
Torren sighed and replied, "The people of the North, Dorne, and the Reach know it's true, but most in the South have erased such history during the Andal invasion. The Faith of the Seven ensured the purge of any records during that time. So, the White Walkers have faded into legend over the centuries. People know of them only through stories, which have slowly become considered children's tales. The only ones who still believe in their existence are the North, Dorne, and the Reach, as we have maintained hand records from our ancestors."
Aegon looked at Rhaenys and Visenya, and both of them nodded in understanding. With a small smile, Aegon said, "It seems we have a lot to talk about then."
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