iron throne of ice and fire

Chapter 459 Choice
Asha raised her eyebrows. "Didn't Hosor Harro go with us to the Crow's Eye to plunder the Reach? Is he back?"

Rodrik closed the book on the table and said, "He is back. Aeron asked him to come back."

"Uncle Iren?"

Rodrik tapped his lower back with the back of his hand and said, "Hoso came back on Aeron's orders. He gave you the treasure of the Crow's Eye as a gift."

Asha blinked her eyes: "He actually stole... well, I didn't expect his skills were quite good."

"It was the Crow's Eye who underestimated Aeron. Although he was a priest of the Drowned God, he was still a sea monster."

Rodrik stood up slowly and said, "Let's go. You will probably like that thing. Maybe it can help you."

After the two of them entered the Lord's Weapon Room, Asha looked around casually and said, "My uncle, this is the only place in Ten Tower City that remains unchanged."

She was referring to the various weapons handed down from successive heads of the Harlo family. After his uncle inherited the Ten Towers City, there was not even an extra dagger here.

"Knowledge is the real sword."

Rodrik pointed to a wooden box on the long table and said, "Open it and take a look."

Hearing this, Asha walked over directly. When she opened the lid and saw what was inside, she said in disbelief, "Is this the Dragon's Horn?"

Rodrik nodded slightly. He came to Asha's side, staring at the strange magic rune engraved on the horn, and said, "I translated the Valyrian rune on it. Its name is 'Dragonbinder'."

"Dear uncle, the Citadel should grant you the title of Doctor."

As Asha spoke, she reached out her hands with great interest and picked up the Dragon Horn to examine it carefully.

Candlelight flickers.

The black light of the Dragon's Horn shone brightly, and Asha could see her own distorted reflection in its surface.

When Asha was curious and wanted to blow the dragon horn, Rodrik stopped her with his hand: "The Valyrian rune means that I am the dragonbinder. No mortal can make me make a sound and survive. Blood for fire, fire for blood."

Asha raised an eyebrow: "Is this another strange curse?"

Rodrik put the Dragon Horn in Asha's hand back into the box with concern, and then said, "During the Kingsmoot, I found that the man who blew the Dragon Horn had blood and blisters around his mouth, and then... he died not long after. I asked the maester to secretly dissect him."

He looked at Asha. "We found his lungs charred, just as the Valyrian runes warned."

“It’s really interesting stuff.”

Asha joked at first, then the smile on her face suddenly faded, and she said in a deep voice: "The Crow's Eye will not let Uncle Aeron go."

Rodrik was silent for a moment, then said, “Not only Aeron, the Crow’s Eye will never tolerate a new master of the Dragon’s Horn.”

He pulled a rolled parchment from his sleeve and handed it over. "Aeren left a last word."

Asha paused slightly, then took the parchment from her uncle. She walked a few steps and began to read it in the light of the brazier.

After Asha finished reading the letter, she threw the parchment into the brazier, and the flames rose and twisted.

She smiled self-deprecatingly and said, "My uncle loves me very much. He suggested that I help my brother drive the Crow's Eye off the throne of Seastone."

She shrugged. "He also suggested that I marry into the Green Lands to ease the hostility of the Seven Kingdoms towards the Iron Islands."

Asha reached out and touched the dragon's horn, the fire reflected in her eyes. "Uncle Aeron suggested using this item in exchange for Theon's safe return to the Iron Islands."

Rodrik sighed slightly: "Asha, don't misunderstand Aeron's good intentions."

Asha grabbed the horn of the dragon and said sarcastically, "What kind of kindness is this?"

Rodrik glanced at the "Last Letter of Aeron" that had turned to ashes in the brazier, and said slowly: "Aeroen may understand the cunning and cruelty of the Crow's Eye better than we do. According to his proposal... no matter who wins or loses, you will be safe. He hopes that a husband in the Green Land will protect you."

He sighed again. "Your father invaded the North, and the Crow's Eye invaded the Reach. Perhaps... Aeron knows very well that if the war in the Seven Kingdoms ends, the next step will be revenge on the Iron Islands, just like what Robert the First did."

"That's a matter for the future. If the Ironborn live in worries that haven't happened yet, that will be the real disaster for the Iron Islands."

Asha took a few deep breaths, suppressed her anger, and continued, "Uncle, when I chose to take back the Sea Stone throne, there was only one ending for me, either life or death."

After a pause, she suddenly grinned and said, "If I win, I will marry Theon to the Green Land and let him contribute to the Iron Islands."

Rodrik shook his head helplessly and said, "Because Aeron sent the Dragon Horn, at least you are no longer so passive."

"My uncle, what good ideas do you have?"

Rodrik closed the box containing the Dragonbinder, and then turned to Asha with a serious expression: "Asha, you have to listen to me this time. You should give it to Duke Green Crab personally as a gift of cooperation."

The two looked at each other in silence for a while, and Asha broke the silence: "Dear uncle, do you want to throw out the bait?"

The shadow formed by the firelight obscured Rodrik's eyes. "Yes, the fisherman is the famous general known to all the Seven Kingdoms."

…………

…………

King's Avenue.

Sandor Clegane stared at the broken sword in his hand for a while with complicated eyes, then shifted his gaze to the person opposite him.

Last night, the farmhouse where he was staying suddenly caught fire. He threw the farmer's two children out of the house, but was trapped inside.

The flames awakened the fear buried deep in his heart, and as he was waiting to die, he was pulled out of the burning farmhouse by a fat figure.

His voice was hoarse and raspy. "A Valyrian axe?"

He glanced at the glowing one-handed axe in Monton's hand and asked, "You actually got this thing?"

Monton smiled innocently and said, "This is from Lord Green."

“…No need to compete anymore. I admit defeat.”

After saying that, the hunting dog who was forced by Monton to duel threw away the broken sword in his hand.

"Hey, I'll treat you to barbecue."

"I have to hurry. Tell me, what do you want me to do?"

Faced with the hound's refusal, Monton stepped forward directly, and the two competed in primitive strength for a while, and finally... the hound was pulled to the side of the campfire by Monton.

After chewing for a few times, the hunting dog swallowed the roast meat in his mouth, then took the wine bag handed to him by Monton and gulped down more than half of the wine.

He wiped the corner of his mouth casually with his big hand and said, "Thank you for yesterday."

"hey-hey."

Monton's dull eyes turned to the Hound beside him: "Clegane, I saved you and defeated you. You will be my adjutant." The Hound's eyes were surrounded by large twisted scars. His gray eyes turned to Monton: "I just took off my white robe."

Monton handed over another large piece of roast meat and said in a silly voice, "You are a wandering knight now, so it's just right for you to follow me."

He lowered his eyes to look at the greasy barbecue in Monton's hand, then reached out to grab it, fiercely tore off a piece, and said, "I am not a knight."

Monton scratched his head and asked in confusion: "You risked your life to save the child. Are you... a knight who is not a knight?"

The hound swallowed the barbecue with a few gulps of wine, supported himself on the ground with his hands, stretched out his big feet, and leaned back: "How many gold royals?"

The squatting Monton was like a small mountain. He moved a little closer to Sandor and said in a low voice, "100 gold royals a year for meritorious service to the land. Our Lord Duke is very fair."

He suddenly remembered the words he had heard many times from Green, and he added: "Food and accommodation are provided."

The Hound looked coldly at the tempting Monton and said, "You have to compensate me with a sword."

…………

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King's Landing, the Great Sept of Baelor.

Being woken up, falling asleep, and being woken up again.

Owl hour, wolf hour, nightingale hour, the moon rises and sets, dusk turns to dawn.

There was neither a fireplace nor a brazier in the cell, and each night seemed colder than the last.

Cersei tried to fight the maids who brought the food many times, but they overpowered her; they were both numerous and strong.

The result was...she would be stripped naked and left huddled under a blanket until her tattered robe was returned.

That narrow window was Cersei's only way of knowing what was happening in the city, for the septas would never tell her anything, they would only read to her from the Seven Stars or prayers.

The only thing Cersei was sure of was that Jaime and Green had not returned yet.

Cobain was her only visitor, and other than that her world consisted only of herself and the nun who was watching over her.

After Coben promised to deliver the letter to her, he never showed up again. She speculated that... Coben might have died, and his head was nailed to the tip of a gun on the top of the city wall by the traitors.

After taking control of the kingdom, she promoted many people, even she couldn't remember who they were specifically, but... those people abandoned her when she needed help, left her imprisoned, and handed over the kingdom to those who plotted to overthrow her rule.

Cersei hated feeling helpless.

She threatened, she tried to speak softly to them, she took every insult with aplomb.

She also prayed, she prayed madly to every god she could think of, but no god responded to her. The seven gods were as deaf as their servants on earth.

She did everything except tears to get out of the situation, and in the end she was only more desperate.

"Only the innocent can enjoy a carefree sleep. Confess your crime and you will sleep like a newborn baby."

The old nuns shook her and roared at her, and Cersei was tortured by them so much that she once thought she was having a nightmare in the comfortable big bed in the Red Keep.

James......

Green…………

She also has two most loyal swords. As long as they return to King's Landing, she can leave this hell immediately, and then she will kill them all!
She told herself that her son needed her, her kingdom needed her, she was still the heir of Lord Tywin and the daughter of Casterly Rock, and she must never surrender to those lowly beggars!
Crunch———

There was a shrill sound of the door opening, and a trace of fear flashed across Cersei's haggard face. Whenever she heard this sound, her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Your Majesty the Queen Mother."

This is………

Cersei opened her eyes wide and her vision blurred for a moment. It was him? !
She murmured weakly: "Coburn..."

Gently closing the door and placing the candlestick in his hand on the chair, Coben said, "It's me, Her Majesty the Queen Mother."

Really Cobain?!
Cersei's vision gradually became clear, and she finally saw the man in front of her clearly. She almost burst into tears on the spot.

But she held it back and the lioness would never shed tears.

Qyburn first touched Cersei's forehead, then took one of her hands, paused, and said: "You have a fever, you need treatment."

Cersei leaned weakly against the cold wall and said hoarsely, "When will Jaime and Green be back?"

She coughed a few times. "Don't let James come back alone foolishly. Let him come back with the army."

Qyburn sighed softly. "After receiving your order, I sent out ravens and messengers. A messenger brought news this morning. He met Ser Jaime on his way to Storm's End on his way to Riverrun."

Cersei's eyes widened slightly. "Why did Jaime go to Storm's End? The fool. He came back alone, didn't he?"

Coben shook his head slightly. "He refused to read your letter. He ignored the messenger and chose to continue on his way... He almost killed the man I sent."

Cersei stared at Qyburn in a daze. After an unknown amount of time, her vision became blurred and tears flowed from the corners of her eyes.

She roared hoarsely: "James, James, James, how dare she betray me! Impossible, absolutely impossible! Coben, you are lying to me, are you betraying me too? You are lying to me, right, right, James is my brother, he would never...never..."

A tearing pain attacked her throat, and Cersei covered her neck in pain, unable to make a sound.

Facing the weak and angry lioness, Coben still had a kind expression on his face: "My Queen Mother, I have not betrayed you. You must find a way to leave here. Your health will not allow you to...stay here any longer."

Cersei suddenly grabbed Qyburn's thin wrist and squeezed out a voice with difficulty: "Green...his news..."

"I got the news that the Lannister army was defeated by the Tullys. Lord Green should be cleaning up the mess over there."

Qyburn shook his head slightly. "Whether Duke Green returns immediately or later, it will be bad for you. They are all afraid of the 'Bloody Count'. According to my investigation... the High Sparrow and Pycelle have reached an agreement. Before Duke Green arrives in King's Landing, they will do everything they can to make you confess your crime."

He lowered his voice slightly and said, "You must stay alive and wait for the Duke of Green, Her Majesty the Queen Mother."

Cersei clearly understood Qyburn's reminder. If she continued to resist, the traitors would kill her, then fabricate various charges and announce her crimes to the Seven Kingdoms before the Grimm entered King's Landing.

Cersei closed her eyes. She couldn't die here. She had to leave here. Only in this way could she get revenge!

If she had had Jaime's power, she could have escaped the High Sparrow's cell on her own, but the gods were blind and gave her only the frail body of a woman.

Cersei twisted her mouth and growled. She knew that if she didn't want to lose, she had to admit her guilt first.

After Cersei vented her anger for a while, Qyburn's gentle voice sounded: "Your Majesty?"

"I will...consider it carefully..."

(End of this chapter)