Game of Thrones: Kings in the North

Chapter 48 Mountain Marching
Wearing snow-white animal skins and chain mail, Nunda Maple Leaf, a rock species, rode beside Ed, and he became the guide of the northern army.

Nunda Maple Leaf and his two sons became captives of the northern border. His youngest son was festering and had a fever, and was almost dying. Ed immediately ordered Uther Bachelor of Dreadfort to treat him and rescued Nunda's youngest son. life.

Bachelor Uther is the only bachelor in the northern army. Only when the noble lord is injured can he be treated by Bachelor Uther.

To thank Eddard and Maester Uther, Roundal kneels before the Heart Tree to the Duke of the North and swears allegiance.

With Roundup as a guide, the march of the northern army on Skagos Island went much smoother.Roundup is like the forest clan in the wolf forest who are familiar with the forest, familiar with every mountain peak, every stream, and even every village around them.

What made Ed even more delighted was that Nongda Maple Leaf was considered a small nobleman. He played for Rene Maple Leaf, the leader of Maple Leaf Hall, and often followed Rene Maple Leaf to attend the meetings of the tribal leaders of the nine clans, and even attended the meeting in Abyss Castle After some meetings with the rock king, he has some information that only the upper nobles of the rock species know.

"Iron Bitch" Helen Pike burned two-thirds of the food and grass of the northern army when crossing the sea. The food and grass in the northern border will be exhausted in a month. The delay of the war will only ruin the army in the northern border. On this island, Ed ordered the northern army to go straight to Abyss Fort.

In this way, the Rock King may be forced to fight the army of the North in order to protect the Crow's castle.

However, the road ahead is difficult.Skagos Island is mountainous and hilly, and the mountain roads are rugged. Standing on the mountain peaks and looking down, Ed saw the winding mountain roads, towering peaks, blue frosty lakes, and flame-red maple leaf forests. Sigh the uncanny workmanship of nature.

However, this land has become a place of killing. Rock species are killed from mountain streams, caves or mountain paths from time to time. Rock species slingers throw stones the size of watermelons, and archers sneak attack with cold arrows.A slinger's stone could easily crush a northern soldier's skull or knee.

In this mountainous terrain, the role of scouts is very limited. The northern scout cavalry led by Ferran and Robert Glover found it difficult to give early warning of the enemy's sneak attack in the mountains. Instead, the cavalry suffered heavy casualties. Ed had no choice but to give up the cavalry scouts, and chose to let the warriors of the mountain clan scout.

There are more than a dozen people in the rock species, and more than 20 people form a group to attack. After a wave, they disappear into the woods or mountains. Their guerrilla tactics once annoyed the northern army.

Fortunately, the warriors of the mountain clan, under the leadership of Zhong Riddle, "Big Barrel" Woer and others, have gradually become familiar with the fighting style of the rock species. The mountain clan is as good at mountain warfare as the rock species, and every sneak attack of the rock species pays The cost is getting higher and higher.

"Master Ed, no one wants to fight." Nongda rode on the horse and said to Ed beside him, "Samuro Claure, the Rock King, was stained with blood on his hands during his conquest of Skagos Island." The blood of the major clans and tribes, including the Magna clan and the Stern clan. Most of the rock species were coerced by the rock species king before they went to the battlefield."

Ed said: "There is hostility between the major tribes. Do you think the Northern Army can use the hatred among the tribes of the Rock Race clan to win this war?"

Nunda shrugged, "I'm afraid it will be difficult. When there is no external threat, the tribes of the rock species will fight each other, but the rock king Samro Claure has unified the tribes for more than ten years. His rule may be like walking on thin ice. Undercurrents It is turbulent, but the appearance of the northern army will make the rock species united like never before."

Ed looked at the mountain peaks in the distance, and an eagle was circling in the sky, "Once the Rock King dies, the situation will be different."

Ed believes that as long as Samuro Klauer can be killed, the alliance of the rock species will fall apart, and the clans and tribes of the rock species will fall into melee again.Rockborn will never embrace "Iron Bitch" Helen Pike, women cannot rule Rockborn, not to mention that Helen Pike is a woman from a foreign land who worships the Drowned God, Rockborn will never follow her.

"What kind of person is the Rock King?" The army moved slowly, and Ed asked Nongda, "Is he the kind of person who likes to charge forward? Or does he like to command from the rear?"

Roundup said: "Samuro Crower liked to charge into battle when he was young. He used to kill many enemies on the battlefield, but now he is nearly fifty and rarely goes to the battlefield."

Ed was a little disappointed. If Samuro Klauer appeared on the battlefield, Ed would let the archer Phelan try to shoot him, or send Braavos water dancer Syrio Forel to try to assassinate him. Or let Greatjon take the creek land and the elite cavalry of Winterfell to sneak attack.Now it seems that the beheading operation is very difficult to succeed. "

Roundup said: "Although Samuro Crow is far away from the battlefield, every time he appears in front of the rock people and warriors, he rides his mount unicorn to show his strength."

Ed was stunned, "Is it true that the leader of the rock species rode a unicorn to fight?"

Nunda said: "Of course it is true. Unicorns have a sacred status in the hearts of our rock species, and the number is rare. When the old leader of the tribe dies, the new leader must ride the unicorn in front of the heart tree to prove his dominance. .If the unicorn rejects the new leader, the tribe will cast aside him and support other warriors who can ride the unicorn."

What a strange custom.Ed said, "Is it hard to ride a unicorn?"

Nongda smiled, "After the death of many old tribal leaders, his legal heirs would rather give up their inheritance rights than face unicorns. It is common for new leaders to be strangled to death by unicorns during the coronation ceremony. The thing is, only those who are quick, strong, and smart enough can jump on the back of a unicorn and tame it."

It sounds more dangerous than taming a wolf.Ed said: "As long as we approach the city of Abyss Castle, I believe Samuro will come out on a unicorn to fight."

Nongda was a little worried, "Master Ed, it is very difficult for the northern warriors to capture Abyss Fort, if the King of Rock knows."

"Woo—" the horn sounded, echoing in the valley.

Drums rang out all around.Rock slingers appeared on the steep mountain. They pushed down huge rolling stones and fell from the mountain. Some soldiers were directly smashed into meatloaf by the boulder.The condescending slinger laughed wildly.

The archers of Deepwood Castle fought back. After a wave of arrows rained, the wild laughter of the slingers on the mountain turned into screams in an instant, and some slingers fell from the mountain after their arrows.

Jory Cassel, Captain of the Winterfell Guard, charged forward on his horse.

"Lord Ed, the enemy came from multiple mountain roads shouting for kill. There seems to be a lot of rock species in this wave."

Ed said happily: "Let them come!" Anyway, the northern army is short of food and grass.

Jory Cassel looked flustered, "Lord Ed, but this wave of rock species is very different, our cavalry are hard to resist, and their leader rides a strange mount, a unicorn!"

(End of this chapter)