King's Landing, Maegor's Tower.
The frowning Stannis stood on the balcony of the small conference room, looking at the vast forest on the south bank of the Blackwater River.
For several days, the Riverside troops who passed through the royal forest rushed to the south bank and camped. Scouts reported that the number of enemy troops reached 80,000.
The good news was that they had no boats or bridges to cross the river.
The bad news is that the Redwyne family's one hundred and fifty longships have captured Dragonstone, captured Selys Florent and others who were still there, and rushed to King's Landing Port.
Although the coalition of his own royal fleet and pirates can compete with the Redwin fleet, the strength on land is far less than that of the enemy, only a quarter of the opponent's.
He had not yet engaged the enemy, but he had already lost the war.
Footsteps sounded as the knight Davos Seaworth stepped up behind his king.
"Your Majesty, are you looking for me?"
Stannis threw the rolled-up note in his hand to his Hand, "Look, another king has come out."
Davos, nicknamed the Onion Knight, smiled awkwardly and said: "I don't know the words above, and they don't know me."
The king without a crown glared at the Prime Minister and explained to him: "An armed force from across the Narrow Sea landed in the Stormlands. Their leader claimed to be Rhaegar's eldest son, the true master of the Iron Throne, Aegon Targaryen. VI. The defenders of Storm's End say that this army is preparing to attack them."
"In front of the army outside the city, this can only be regarded as an annoyance." Onion Knight pointed to the south, "According to my observation of the enemy camp, there should be only 40,000 to 50,000 Hebang warriors, and there are an unusually large number of servants without armor. , It doesn't look like an army at all."
"Only! You call 40,000 to 50,000 soldiers only?" Stannis glared at his Prime Minister again, and then turned to the Scarlet Witch Melisandre who walked in. "Why is Tommen not in Duskendale? Didn't you say Can the false king die suddenly by burning the fat man?"
Melisandre, who was dressed in red robes, walked gently to the king and said softly: "Don't be impatient. I saw Tommen entangled in the flames by several snakes from the desert, and one snake bit him to death." He, the false king, will go to see his brother soon."
"It's best this way." Stannis put his hands on the table and looked at the map. "Each of you think of a way to defeat the enemy forces outside the city."
Knight Davos said: "The Lannister army is to the north of the Gate of the Gods, and the River Bend army is on the south bank of the Blackwater River. Before the Redwin fleet arrives, we can first defeat the isolated lions, and then fight against the The Gulf Army goes to war."
"Do you think Kevan is a fool? If he can't be defeated, won't he lead his army to retreat?" Erlu looked at Scarlet Witch, "What is your plan?"
"Exchange the prisoners in your hands for Edric Storm. The king's blood contains power that ordinary people cannot imagine. Together with the King of Light, it is enough to kill any enemy you hate."
Edric Storm is the illegitimate son of the late King Robert. He was originally fostered at Storm's End and was later taken to Dragonstone by Stannis. Now he is captured by the Redwin fleet.
The Scarlet Witch stared into Stannis's blue eyes with her penetrating gaze.
The Onion Knight next to him couldn't stand the king's ambiguity with a witch, and reminded him: "That's your blood relative. Parricide will be cursed by the gods."
"Sir, don't get excited yet. It's not like we want to kill him. We just need a little blood."
Melisandre looked at the Onion Knight the same way she looked at Erlu, which made Davos shyly tilt his head.
"I will never forgive the crimes of traitors Cersei, Varys and others." Stannis looked at the Scarlet Witch and said.
"But their trial can be delayed until His Majesty wins the war. Outside Storm's End, you have seen the power of the King's blood."
The frown on his brow was slightly flatter, and Stannis ordered: "Then let's do it."
…
Stone Hall Town.
Arthur, who was sweating profusely, suddenly sat up from the bed and recalled the nightmare he had just had.
In the dream, he was getting married to Little Rose Margaery Tyrell. The oath taking and banquet process had been completed, and he carried Little Rose into the wedding room to prepare for the wedding ceremony.
Margaery was not ordinary beautifully dressed. When Arthur was about to kiss her, a bald man with blue eyes crawled out from under the bed and wrapped his hands around his neck. The force was so strong that Arthur almost suffocated.
Fortunately, Alduin emerged from nowhere and sprayed out dragon flames, causing the blue-eyed man to be burned to death on the spot.
There was no trace of the man's remains. Just when Arthur was about to investigate, Alduin stretched out its head. What was horrifying was that Alduin had the face of Joffrey.
Emperor Qiao's little face is still so handsome, and his eyes are much clearer, but it is still very scary to have a human face on a dragon's head.
Then Arthur was awakened.
This is truly a terrible nightmare.
He thought about it carefully, but suddenly realized that Stannis was most likely preparing to curse someone.
Counting the days, the armies of the Shihua family have surrounded Junlin City. Erlu's soldiers are far fewer than the enemy, so they will naturally have to use special methods to win.
The self-proclaimed king Arthur must be on his curse list.
The power of the curse is supposed to come from Edric Storm, Robert's bastard son who possesses both the blood of a dragon and the blood of a king.
In addition to practicing three defenses in daily life: against cold arrows, against poisons, and against assassins, Arthur must also be prepared to break this curse.
Coincidentally, Coburn, who directed the construction of new residential buildings in Heron Town, had an in-depth study of necromancy.
Arthur had discussed with him the method of breaking the curse of Harrenhal before, and Qyburn also agreed with the two solutions of transplanting fish beams and burning the Great Barrow. It should not be difficult to find a way to break Stannis's curse.
After keeping this in mind, Arthur got out of bed and called Podrick to wash up.
It was already evening outside. Tonight was the time to dig the dam upstream.
After the river water accumulated for three days rushed down, the river army, which had been dressed neatly, would be on standby on the hill where Stone Town was located, ready to capture the fleeing soldiers and enemy generals.
…
East side of God's Eye Lake.
Two men and two horses were heading north, and Sandor Clegane was pouring the liquid in the wineskin into his mouth.
Arya looked at the endless lake and asked angrily, "Hound, don't you know the way? We were originally in Stone Town. From there, we can reach Riverrun by walking west. Why did you go back?"
"I heard that your sister ran to Harrenhal, so I took you to the north." Sandor shook the empty wineskin and looked at the sunset. "We have to find a place to sleep."
The two mounts carried them up a small hill and met five uninvited guests.
A Lion cavalryman in a scarlet robe spoke first: "I met an acquaintance. Do you remember someone?"
The Hound thought that the Lion cavalry would greet him first because of his obvious features, but he didn't expect that it was the little wolf girl who was recognized.
Arya looked at the red robe she had never seen before with a confused face, "Who are you? Why do you call yourself someone?"
In her impression, only a death row prisoner in the Night's Watch called himself that.
At that time, the gold cloaks were chasing a boy, so they attacked the team led by the Night's Watcher Yoren and set a fire. Three death row prisoners were trapped in the prison car. Arya, who couldn't bear it, found an axe for them, and then the two sides never met again.
"Red Robe" took off his lion-shaped half helmet, and then stroked his face with his free right hand. The originally mediocre facial features suddenly became charming.
Arya recognized that it was the death row prisoner at the beginning.
"The girl stole three lives from the Red God, so she must return three lives to the Red God. You say three names, and someone will send them to see the Red God." After showing Arya's familiar face, Jaqen H'ghar said.
Arya was stunned for several seconds before she realized what was going on. She pointed at a red robe behind Jaqen and said, "That's him."
"This is Rorge and Sharptooth, my companions. You didn't tell me his name, so I can't kill him. The other two Lannister cavalrymen are called Aidan and Benson." Jaqen replied.
Arya's eyes turned and she understood that Jaqen was hinting that the two Lion cavalrymen could be killed, so she said the two names.
Jaqen smiled and nodded, turning to look at the two Lannister cavalrymen.
The two were frightened by the conversation and had already turned their horses around to escape.
But the Faceless Jaqen's hand speed was faster. Two red feathers flew out of his hand and pierced the back of the two's necks.
Plop!
The two bodies fell to the ground and the mounts stopped.
Sandor Clegane looked at the red feathers on the back of the corpse in shock. After thinking about his relationship with the little wolf girl, he quietly took off the dog-shaped helmet pinned on the horse's back, put it on his head, pressed down the visor, and tightened the neck guard.
"What's the third name?"
Arya looked at the death row prisoner who could change his face with his hands, and then looked at the fallen Lannister cavalry, and said eagerly: "I don't want you to help me kill people, just teach me this method of killing, I will take revenge myself."
The Faceless Man stretched out his right index finger and shook it, "This is not a person's name."
Arya tried to recall the name of this person and said: "Jaqen."
"Then you should say something I can do!" The Faceless Man was relieved.
Arya glanced at Sandor Clegane behind her, thinking in her heart that if they were allowed to kill the hound, then Jaqen would have nothing to do with her.
"Then help me get rid of Sandor Clegane and teach me your killing method. My brother died at the hands of the Lannisters and the traitorous Roose Bolton, and I must avenge him and the Northerners."
Jaqen waved his hand to let Rorge and the other two behind him come forward, "You find a way to get him away from the girl."
The Hound looked at the mysterious three people, lightly stepped back with his horse's belly.
Years of combat experience made him understand that he should never reveal his back to such a dangerous opponent.
Rorge and Sharpfang rode to force Sandor Clegane, and the three of them stayed away from Jaqen and Arya.
"Someone must die." After saying this, the Faceless Jaqen stroked his face again with his hand.
So the charming middle-aged male face turned into a scarred face again. After shaking his long straight red hair, the Faceless Man's head was covered with black curly hair again.
"I want to learn such skills."
Arya looked at the man in front of her eagerly.
"Okay, you come with me to Braavos across the narrow sea." The Faceless Man said.
The little wolf girl thought about her elder sister and Jon Snow, who had put on black clothes and became a member of the Night's Watch.
"But I have to see my relatives first, so that they know where I am going."
The Faceless Man took out a strange old coin from his arms, "But I cannot go to see your relatives. With this coin, you can give it to anyone in Braavos, and then say Valar Morghulis, You can find me."
Arya took the old coin and stroked it curiously.
It is larger and older than the silver deer coin and gold dragon coin, and its texture is similar to that of a copper plate.
After speaking, the stranger wearing Jia Qian's clothes nodded to Arya, turned around and retreated into the darkness, his cloak fluttering and disappearing.
In the distance, there was a roar.
Arya heard clearly the sound of the hound.
She got rid of the hounds and ignored the fact that the sun had set. She galloped towards the north. Her sister Sansa might be in Harrenhal, just north of the giant lake.
…
The middle section of the Golden Avenue.
The resurrected Caitlin listened to the reports from her fellow Brotherhood members.
Of course, she is no longer Mrs. Stark, and others call her "Mrs. Stoneheart."
"With blond hair, wearing gorgeous porcelain armor, and running wildly with three horses, he looks a lot like Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer."
"It's just because he ran too fast, so the brothers can't be sure, so I'll report it to you and let Madam make the decision."
Because the wound on her throat could not heal, she had to cover her neck with her hands when she spoke, "Who cares if he comes from the west, he is a lackey of Lannister. My husband, I, and my son all died in their hands." , Anyone who has anything to do with them will die."
She ordered the more than 40 people under her command, "Everyone pack their things, let's go hunt down that knight."
Since the death of Lord Beric, the Lightning Lord, Thoros the Red Priest has left the Brotherhood, leaving Lady Stoneheart in charge.
So the brotherhood members who had been lying down stood up again, dragged their exhausted bodies and simply packed their belongings, got on their horses, and followed the leader to chase down the riders who were suspected of being the regicide.
…
Next to a big tree, "Beauty" Brienne Tarth, who had wrapped herself in a cloak, suddenly noticed that the ground was shaking slightly.
A large group of cavalry came, and they came fiercely.
So Brienne, who was sleeping with A, stood up, holding the sword in her hand, ready to see the situation first.
"Hey, it looks like a female knight!" Following the light of the torch, the brotherhood member running at the front shouted.
"We are from the Brotherhood Without Banners, you can sleep peacefully," another member replied.
Brienne looked at the endless stream of riders and made sure they were not wearing the standard armor of noble soldiers, then she sat down against the tree.
He must be a member of the fraternity. I heard that this organization has a good reputation, and the beauty is relieved.
But the person at the center of the team caught Brienne's attention, "Isn't that Mrs. Stark who was killed by the Lion's cavalry?"
The brotherhood team passed by very quickly. Brienne stared blankly at the figure who had run away, and decided to follow up to find out.