Eagle of the Valley of Ice and Fire

The scorching sun was like a sky full of arrows, covering the marching route. Loras pursed his lips tightly and looked at the open space in front of him with an unnatural expression.

The Stormland Hills had a rare flat ground. Loras looked at Renly beside him and asked, "We march day and night, and we can temporarily camp here and rest for a while."

"Lord Randyll asked us to march quickly." Renly hesitated. He noticed the tired cavalry behind him. Their horses were led by servants. Some knights in the Reach were not wearing armor, but wrapped in simple and light cloth.

"Lord Randyll is looking for water. Is there any water here, Your Majesty?" Lord Alister Florent asked. His lips were as chapped as those of the knights around him.

"How much water do we have left?" Renly did not directly answer Florent beside him, but asked Matus Rowan who had been accompanying him.

Matus pinched his shrunken water bag, "Not much, except for the ones I carry with me, most of them are escorted by baggage from various routes. Lord Randyll noticed this. Each baggage route will be escorted by two cavalry guards, but it must be not much. Can we get through this damn hill faster?" He rudely drank the remaining water in the water bag and threw it away.

The squire was a little confused and stood there in a daze.

"Go get it, idiot!" Matus Rowan snatched the cloth from the squire's hand, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and cursed.

The squire hurriedly ran to pick up the water bag that Matus had discarded, staggering and very embarrassed.

But this funny scene was not appreciated by everyone around, they were very thirsty.

"This place is not like the plains of the River Reach, we shouldn't have such a wide marching range." Alister Florent said to Renly, panting slightly.

No one answered him, after all, this was the arrangement of Randyll Tarly.

"Most of the baggage are from the squires. The knights they follow are the surrounding cavalry phalanxes. It was too hot this day, and the hilly terrain was undulating. Many teams were stranded in various places, and the knights and squires were separated for a long time. Fortunately, Stannis was foolishly besieging Storm's End, otherwise there would be no good consequences." Matus Rowan wiped his sweat, pulled the reins impatiently, and walked forward.

"Let the soldiers rest," Renly said, looking at the open space in front, "This is not far from Storm's End. Lord Randyll is the vanguard, and they may have passed the hills."

Alister looked at the open space in the distance, and he intuitively felt a little uneasy. The knights of the Reach around Renly were originally close to 10,000, but they were stranded in various places during the march. At this time, it is roughly estimated that there are about 6,000.

The squire wearily led the horse behind the knight, and the knight poured the few drops of water from the water bag into his mouth. The squires took care of the hay, but the horses were a little reluctant, as they emitted no less moisture than humans.

They approached the open area in twos and threes, but the knights of the Reach still had proud military qualities and quickly set up camp with the squires.

Renly looked at his crowned stag flag erected on both sides of the tent by his personal guards. The bright golden background made the king feel a little relieved. He stepped in and even felt a long-lost coolness in the shade the moment he stepped into the tent.

His servants and queen were left at the end of the march. Sitting in the carriage, Renly took off his heavy armor and could clearly smell the stench of sweat, "Loras! I want..."

Loras lifted the curtain of the tent, "Your Majesty?" He saw Renly's broad shoulders and smiled charmingly.

"No need," Renly originally wanted to take a hot bath, but when he thought about the fact that the army's water supply was indeed insufficient, he gave up the idea, "Give me... a wet towel, Loras."

"Obey the king's orders." Loras bowed slightly and looked at Renly teasingly.

"Go quickly." Renly chuckled. Seeing Loras leave his sight and lie down in the tent, he was very tired.

...

Timon held up his long sword and spat at the stream in front of him.

Stannis's infantry carried buckets and took away the water from the stream in batches.

"There is one last batch, Ser Timon," Andrew Estermond looked around uneasily. This is a rare dense bush in the hills. Stannis once conducted a detailed survey of the geography and topography of the Stormlands when he was at Storm's End. This is his habit as a commander, so he knows very well where the most important resources for the army are located in the hills.

Renly has been the Duke of Storm's End for so many years, and except for tournaments, noble hunting, and even banquets, he probably wouldn't even want to set foot in this desolate and dry hills.

There is a water source in this damn place. The locals in the barren villages of Stormland don't know that there is water here. They often go south to get water. There is not enough water and food here, so the villagers won't set foot at all.

But Stannis knows.

Timon watched the last batch of soldiers fill the buckets with water, seal them and transport them to the carriage, and threw the grass roots in his hand into the river, "Get to work, soldiers!"

The soldier walked to the river and took out the medicine bottle that had been prepared in his sleeves. The transparent liquid flowed into the stream, like an invisible killer.

...

Justin listened to the scout's report and looked at Stannis with a happy expression, "Although Randyll Tarly is a famous general of the Seven Kingdoms, he is not clear about the terrain of the hills in the Stormlands. While he sent scouts to find water, he accelerated the march and led his 8,000 cavalry to Storm's End quickly. He wanted to fight quickly."

Stannis looked at the terrain of the hills calmly, stroked his chest with his right hand, and his heart was pounding.

"His scouts will find water in the low flats near the Dorne Sea, but instead of going there to get water, it is better to go straight to Storm's End. Landau will not waste time doing this, he will choose to march." Stannis took a deep breath. tone.

"When will we set off, Your Majesty?" Justin's eyes lost their previous uneasiness, and instead looked at his king with some enthusiasm.

"It's time to talk to my brother," Stannis said. "Although Renly should not let Lando be the vanguard, I have few soldiers and time is short. Lando can return at any time to help."

"Let's go." Stannis picked up the half-helm beside him and walked out of the makeshift tent. The king didn't know if he could succeed. He was gambling, risking everything he had.

The crowned stag flag with a black background on gold was picked up by the flag soldiers and fluttered in the dry cold wind of the hills. The horses' hooves clattered, the flag fluttered in the wind, and a light army marched westward.

…

Renly closed his eyes, feeling the cool touch of the wet wipes wiping his body.

Loras's voice lingered in his ears, "Look at your strong figure. I have heard others say that you are King Robert in his youth..."

A chuckle came from Renly's mouth, "Someone always says that. Eddard Stark said it, Jon Arryn said it, and even Stannis told me. It's really ridiculous."

"Did I say something wrong?" Loras wiped a wet towel from Renly's neck down.

"No..." Renly replied, with some reluctance in his tone, "Robert did mention that, but I will never be a person like Robert, who only knows how to eat, drink, whore, gamble and fight wildly."

Loras smiled slightly and said nothing.

Rapid footsteps came from outside the tent, and the sound stopped outside the curtain. The bodyguard shouted loudly: "It's Stannis's army, your majesty. News came from the cavalry phalanx in the rear that they were attacked."

Renly was slightly startled, "Stannis? He shouldn't be at Storm's End..."

"There is no time, Your Majesty." Loras quickly stood up and wrapped Renly in clothes. "Wouldn't it be better for Stannis to die?"

Renly suppressed the faint panic in his heart, put on his armor, and strode out of the camp.