News of the Ironborn invasion spread through every inch of the Riverlands like a plague. Panic and chaos were inevitable, and all kinds of strange rumors flew everywhere.
The atmosphere in the Lion's Den's Council Chamber was no less tense. Suleiman sat in his chair, wondering if there was anything he had left undone.
Lushen had led four hundred new settlers with no combat ability to reinforce Deddings Castle.
For the sake of the bigger picture, once war began, those four hundred men would only consume food if they stayed on his lands. Better to send them to Deddings Castle to eat their fill. It would also earn him a good reputation. Though it was a cruel choice, the Ironborn might not dare attack the castle, and the men might not be in any danger after all.
Suleiman fell into deep thought, his mind racing. He had strategic depth; if necessary, he could retreat into the mountains and hold out there. Chaos was a ladder. With the Riverlands in turmoil, even the loss of Seaguard might not be a bad thing... Could he profit from the chaos?
"Hek's report." Evelyn's voice broke the silence of Suleiman's thoughts as she handed him a piece of parchment.
Suleiman looked at the paper, his cheek twitching. It was covered in strange little drawings recording the latest developments in the mountains.
Fortunately, he could make sense of them. The stick figures made of lines must represent Wildlings, while the circular shape probably indicated the mountain fortress at Offshore Cliff.
Suleiman tapped his fingers lightly on the table and glanced at Bryn and Rosso, his officers. "Those Wildlings have returned."
Bryn frowned. He had spent many years in the mountains and knew how dangerous the Wildlings were.
"They're like rats in the dark, peeking out