Eagle of the Valley of Ice and Fire

The scorching sun seems to indicate that the long summer will never end. Perhaps it is possible, as the monks from Darui City said, that the Seven Gods are kind enough to bestow the endless summer on the world, from the sea of ​​summer to the land of eternal winter. Whether they are believers of the Seven Gods, blasphemous heretics, or insane unbelievers, they all enjoy this grace.

Militan touched the seven-pointed star chain in his hand, and the smooth copper surface was polished by his thumb. There are dense scratches on this pendant that he has been wearing since he ran away from Darry City, just like Militan's journey from the Riverlands to the High Sparrow, and the bumpy journey to King's Landing.

He didn't know how many people the chain had witnessed died under his long sword. Militan closed his eyes, crossed his legs on the ground, leaned his back against a small tree in the dense bush, and silently recited the prayers of the Seven Gods. .

"Deng Deng!"

The sound of horse hooves hitting the ground gradually approached. Militang didn't need to think too much. He looked up and saw those familiar knights and the familiar standard chain armor.

A sky-blue cloak, the heraldic shield of a noble knight of the valley, and a shiny half-helmet.

Militan's pupils shrank and his breathing became rapid. He looked nervously at the Valley Knight who was speeding past him.

He will never forget the battle in Salt Farm Town that he experienced. The soldiers in Darui City hurriedly fled across the river without effective command. He still remembers the scene of many Riverland soldiers being ravaged by the iron hooves of the valley on the bank.

Except for the several valley knights at the head who had gorgeous and luxurious equipment and clothing, the levies following them seemed ordinary, no different from the farmers he saw in Darui City on weekdays.

Militan refused to stand up slowly until the cavalry were far away. He stood there, staring at the back of the army marching in the valley, in a daze for a long time.

The chirping of birds in the dense forest brought him back to reality. The top priority was to quickly arrive at the place he and Sir Theodore had agreed upon, an unknown village that had no dedicated monks to serve him.

I am afraid that the nobles hiding in the castle will never know how many these villages are. Only the High Sparrow, who has traveled to the Seven Kingdoms, is willing to set foot in them and provide villagers with traditional services such as naming newborns, forgiving sins and officiating weddings, and serving the common people. , the monks and bishops of Oldtown and Baelor Cathedral don't have the ability to do it.

The farmland of Harrenhal seemed to be being used again. Militan walked north along the King's Road. The peaceful life of the farmers on the Green Fork River was beyond his expectation. This group of new valley lords did not seem to like having too much contact with the farmers. Interference, a traditional estrangement from deep in the mountains hinders the negotiations between nobles and peasants.

"Those Three Rivers people."

Even the lowest knight of the valley used such words to refer to the hard-working farmers in his new territory. This was not a bad thing. Militan could not see any special discrimination. This group of valley people was too closed by the barren Mingyue Mountains. For a long time, I occasionally saw the fertile plains but didn't know how to intervene. I just followed the arrogant tradition of the nobles, captured poachers, and punished some prisoners according to the traditional laws of the valley.

This is actually a good thing for the farmers living here, and the strict land boundary requirements of the valley people and the harsh laws in this regard make all farmers and property owners in the jurisdiction have to farm according to the valley people's divisions. Militan couldn't figure out why the people of the valley paid so much attention to every corner of the land. This kind of attention made the originally ambiguous land ownership in the Riverlands clear. It was written in black and white, and even had to be signed under the witness of the seven monks. .

Militan let out a long breath. The hazy outline of Harrenhal is just behind the dense forest. The largest and tallest castle in the Seven Kingdoms is like this. It is like a hill. It is very close to the sight, but the actual distance is very far.

There was urgency in Maester Colmont's words, and Attis could fully imagine the anxious expression on the maester's face at this time.

Wilma Royce sat on one side of the desk, leaning on the cushions on the back of the chair, staring at the letter in Attis's hand.

"Did the knights of Runestone City do it?" Weimar asked tentatively. He seemed to see the words Runestone City and Royce in the words of the letter.

Attis handed the souvenir to Weimar, "The newly conquered Alpine clan had a conflict with the knight at the Gate of the Moon. The knight seemed to have just returned to the valley from Harrenhal, and he is indeed affiliated with Runestone City."

Weimar frowned and looked through the letter in his hand, "These ragged, uncivilized mountain clans." Attis coughed lightly, Weimar stopped talking, quickly changed his words, and said according to the description in the letter, "The barbarians of the Stone Crow Tribe are interested in the trophies of the knights of Runestone City and want to obtain them through duels, a cultural custom of the Mingyue Mountains."

"As expected of a bachelor who attaches great importance to etiquette, his words are indeed polite. Isn't this a robbery?" Weimar put down the souvenir and looked at Attis, frowning slightly and holding his arms on the table with a slight exertion.

Attis didn't say anything, but just looked at Weimar silently, touching the tip of his nose with his right hand and rubbing it slowly.

Weimar continued, "The savages and the knights fought, and later turned into a group fight. This was simply a violation of military discipline. They need to be educated, by the Seven Gods and the spirit of chivalry." He shook his hand angrily.

Attis's face was as stiff as an iron plate. Weimar's words echoed in his ears. He remained motionless, just deep in thought.

"Trouble," Attis said, his voice soft.

"Educating uncivilized savages is naturally troublesome." Weimar leaned his head on the cushion and shook his head. He took a deep breath and quickly turned his attention to Attis, with a slight hesitation in his eyes. "These savages worship A ball of fire, worshiping the red-robed woman"

Attis paused for a moment, looked at Weimar, and listened to what he said.

Weima pursed his lips slightly and said, "The Red Robe Woman did help us solve the Gaoshan Clan in the Moon Mountains, but her red robe..." He opened and closed his mouth, hesitating to speak.

"Weima, you can speak directly," Atis sighed slightly in his heart. Since the war began, he and Weima seemed to be drifting apart, and their relationship was not as close as before. He breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "I always listen to your opinions."

Weima hesitated for a moment, then said, "There are rumors in Harrenhal that you and the Red Robe Woman, a heretic believer of the Red God, are always together. Something is wrong."

A brief silence enveloped Atis and Weima. Harrenhal seemed to have imprisoned all the voices of people in the thick and dark walls, along with the tower where Atis was, oppressive and difficult to breathe.

A burst of heat surged in Weima's chest. He did not like this untimely silence. Weima could not figure out Atis's inner thoughts and thoughts, and his breathing became a little heavy, which was particularly clear in the quiet study.

Atis broke the silence, "I know, go back to your father, Weimar." He looked at Weimar, and there was a look in his eyes that Weimar didn't see on weekdays, which seemed to be sadness and loneliness.

Weimar nodded, stood up, and walked downstairs. The sound of his footsteps echoed in the corridor of the tower, and the knocking sound of chain mail was also very clear.

Atis turned his head to look out the window of the dim light. He was hesitating and reflecting on whether he had taken too big a step. Many hidden contradictions were like black reefs hidden under the ocean, with vibrant water plants and kelp floating on the surface as a disguise.

And when the tide receded, the reefs would inevitably land on the shore again.

His fingers tapped the desk, making a regular sound.