-Chapter 138-
-POV MC-
The magic demonstration I had just performed had tensed everyone up.
I felt that the men facing me were staring with wide eyes, their hands on the hilts of their weapons, while those behind me had already drawn their swords, ready to slit my throat the moment Mance would order them to.
"I told you I could do that," I said in a calm tone.
"I'm ashamed to admit it, but I thought you were boasting. I didn't believe you when you told me you were capable of using magic," he said, his eyes finally moving away from my hands playing with fire and focusing on me.
"I know, and that's why I'm proving to you that I'm not a liar. I know for men, seeing is believing, so I show you, I show you all," I said, looking at each of them.
"So you have a dragon?" he said, still clearly struggling to believe me.
I nodded while adding, "I have two, including my uncle Viserys's."
He swallowed, and then he said, "You've formed an army of 100,000 soldiers fully equipped with the best weapons and armor on the continent."
I shook my head and then said, "Not exactly, the royal army has 100,000 legionnaires, but my forces aren't limited to just the royal army."
"You have even more soldiers?" he said, surprised.
I smiled and then said, "Of course I have more. I own a guard unit composed of 10,000 cavalrymen a few kilometers from the Wall, part of the Dreadfort on its way to the wall several days ago. I also have my royal fleet, a fleet composed of 60,000 sailors and hundreds of ships, and as you might guess, the hosts of my vassals among whom are the Lords of the Crownlands, the Starks, the Tyrells, the Arryns, the Martells, and the Lannisters."
"The Arryns lost many men in the last war, but with the mountain clans I have subdued, I imagine the Vale could easily muster an army of 40,000 men. The Lannisters have a permanent and war-trained army of 70,000 soldiers. The lords of the Crownlands can easily muster an army of 15,000 men. The Tyrells can call upon hosts that can go up to 100,000 soldiers. House Martell can muster 50,000 spears and the Starks, 40,000 men."
"Ah, I almost forgot the 5,000 elite guards charged with ensuring the safety of the royal family, in total, that makes..."
"490,000 soldiers, I can count," said Mance.
Although he didn't let it show, I could see it: he was terrified.
'Unfortunately for him, he is a king; he can't show his true emotions to his men,' I thought, feeling slightly sympathetic to his plight.
Seeing the confused look of some wildlings, I said, "That's five times the army filled with women and elders that you've gathered here."
Mance frowned and then said, "You can't muster that many soldiers in such a short time. You know that as well as I do, and even if you did, we would have already crossed the wall before reinforcements arrived."
I smiled in a truly contemptuous manner and then said, looking at the king who was beginning to enter the last part of his life, judging by his once brown now gray hair:
"Mance, look me straight in the eye, do you think you scare me?"
He said nothing, and then I said, "I came alone, surrounded by your army, surrounded by giants. Have you ever seen fear in my eyes?"
He said nothing, and then I shook my head before saying, "Look at your men, they only have skins, furs, or leather armor. Do you seriously think they'll stand a chance against a fully equipped army like mine?"
"We are a people of warriors, a people who endure..."
"... the cold, the hunger, and it's certainly not someone who kneels who will beat you in a one-on-one fight. I completely agree with you, Tormund Giantsbane. Can I call you Tormund?"
He didn't have time to answer before I said, "I'll call you Tormund. I know you are a people of warriors who value strength above all and that, generally, in individual fights, you would be above my soldiers."
His furrowed brows at the affront I had made loosened before I took the opportunity to say, "Unfortunately, this isn't a fight, it's a war you're about to engage in. Total war, you would be outmatched without any effort because your equipment is lacking, but not only that, your unity, your formation, your tactics, and all this without mentioning the damn ice wall 700 feet high."
A heavy silence took place in the tent before I broke it by saying, "How do you plan to defeat us?"