On Grell Castle's training ground, a bonfire was burning brightly.
Not long ago, Ironborn's filthy laughter was echoing here. Now, their barbecue and wine barrels are being enjoyed by the knights under Suleiman's command.
The air was filled with the burnt aroma of barbecue, but it could not hide the strong smell of blood seeping out of the soil. Although Ironborn's body was dragged away, the soil soaked in blood had a strange wet sheen under the firelight.
The liberated servants and soldiers in the dungeon, with pale faces still in shock, shuttled among the crowd. They served the liberators food and poured wine, their movements were careful, and their eyes showed the gratitude for the rest of their lives.
Damon. Grell's wife, Mrs. Elena, and daughter Laila also put on clean clothes. They personally poured wine for the lords like Raymun. Darry, Tytos. Blackwood, their hands still shaking slightly.
This trembling was different from the numbness when they were forced to serve Ironborn. At this moment, there were tears in their eyes, and every time they bowed, they were silent thanks to the liberator.
This kind of heartfelt respect made the Riverlands knights present feel the long-lost honor. They saved a noble family!
!
Suleiman did not attend the banquet. He stood alone on the city wall, overlooking the dancing flames and noisy crowd below, his eyes scanning every corner.
Something is wrong, this is very wrong. Ironborn never leaves alive Warrior prisoners who have held swords. They will keep women and cowards to do Salt Wife and slave labor, but they will not hesitate to chop off the heads of anyone who might resist.
Tristifer. Farwynd is by no means a kind person, but now Grell Castle's armed forces are just being imprisoned. The only explanation is that these knights and soldiers still have some value to Ironborn, or Damon. Grell used something to exchange their lives, and he is hiding something.
Tytos. Blackwood held a glass of wine and walked up the city wall to Suleiman. He looked at the grateful House Grell below, but there was struggle on his face.
He spoke in a low voice:
"Suleiman."
"You saved a noble family."
He paused and looked directly at Suleiman.
"But I will never approve of your approach."
"The massacre of Ironborn at the banquet. They were unarmed and drunk. This is dishonorable and can even be said to be despicable."
Suleiman didn't look at him, staring silently below. At this moment, the atmosphere in the empty field was pushed to its peak.
A knight from House Deddings raised his wine glass and roared with all his strength, "To our commander!!! To Lord Suleiman!!!"
In an instant, all the knights and retinue riders stood up and raised their wine glasses enthusiastically. The sound converged into a torrent, impacting every stone in the castle. Their eyes sparkled with a light that was almost fanatical and crazy.
"Respect to Mr. Suleiman!!!"
"Here's to our commander!!!"
"Respect to Mr. Suleiman!!!"
Tytos looked at this scene, and his heart was occupied by huge shock. He knew where this fanaticism came from. Suleiman could always accurately predict the enemy's movements and obtain miraculous victory at the smallest cost.
He fulfilled all his promises to his followers. They will win honors, everything, and be famous Seven Kingdoms. After the war, they will be competed by the major nobles to obtain land and titles. Suleiman has opened up the road to their dreams for them. In their hearts at this moment, Lord Suleiman's words are correct and will always be correct.
This is true even for drinking tonight. Suleiman forbids soldiers from drinking, but instead he orders them to drink as much as they want on this victory night. Drink as much as you want at one time. In his words, it is better to vent all the stress and desires at once than to delay affairs or lose your life because of stealing a glass of wine on the battlefield.
Riverlands people cannot live without drinking, and this kind of full understanding and respect for their accustomed way of running the army makes them feel that Lord Suleiman is not only invincible, but also reasonable.
Facing the roaring and tsunami-like tributes, Suleiman finally moved. He took a few steps forward and walked into the range illuminated by the fire, but he did not accept this honor.
He raised the wine glass in his hand and his voice clearly spread throughout the audience:
"To Lord Lymond. Lychester! Our commander-in-chief! The savior of Riverlands people!"
The knights were stunned for a moment, then burst into even more enthusiastic cheers.
"To Lord Lymond. Lychester! Our commander-in-chief! The savior of Riverlands people!"
"To Lymond! To Suleiman!!"
"Riverlands people's savior!!!"
Tytos watched from the side, his heart even more complicated. He was almost certain that some unknown agreement must have been reached between Suleiman and Lymond. Lychester. He was creating momentum for House Lychester and seeking power and position that should not belong to them for House Lychester.
The cheers stopped for a while, and Sir Keke of House Vance walked up to the city wall alone. In his heart, he was once the staunchest questioner of Suleiman's crazy plan. Although he didn't show too much to the outside world, he only felt guilty at the moment.
He walked up to Suleiman and solemnly performed a standard knightly salute:
"Sir Suleiman, I offer you my most sincere apologies for the doubts I have expressed in the past."
Suleiman didn't say anything, he just raised his glass to clink with him and drank the wine in one gulp. With this simple action, Sir Keke showed gratitude in his eyes and silently stepped back.
Then Bryn came up, glanced at Blackwood, and reported in a low voice, "Sir Suleiman."
"Lord Damon. Grell, asked us for the bodies of Tristifer. Farwynd and several other Ironborn leaders."
Suleiman raised his eyebrows. "Reason."
Bryn's voice became even lower. "He said that the enemy would never rest in peace."
"But my people saw that he and his most trusted knights were rummaging through the corpse, looking very carefully for something."
Sure enough, a glimmer of understanding flashed in Suleiman's eyes, the imprisoned knight and Warrior, the unusual kindness, the rummaged corpse.
In all likelihood, House Grell has secretly pledged allegiance to Ironborn, and Tristifer. Farwynd must carry proofs such as Blood Oath that can prove their kneeling allegiance.
Suleiman turned around and ordered Bryn: "Send someone to keep an eye on Damon. Grell's room. I want to know what he found or what he didn't find."
"I'll go later."
Bryn nodded and retreated, disappearing on the city wall.
On the city wall, only Suleiman and Tytos. Blackwood were left. The evening wind blew by, carrying a distant chill.
Blackwood finally expressed his deepest fear in a serious and heavy voice:
"Suleiman, your victory is too abnormal.
, Black Crow considered the words, as if each word weighed as much as a thousand pounds.
"Your near-predictive ability, and the excessive murderous aura in you.
I know, you borrowed something.
A power that is not ours."
He looked at Suleiman with a hint of persuasion in his eyes.
"I don't know who you are praying to, Old Gods, Seven, or... something else."
"But please remember that any power that does not belong to mortals must have its price."
"Now, it asks you to offer Ironborn's life as a sacrifice in the fire. You think it's natural."
"But soon, its appetite will grow bigger and bigger, and it will demand more from you, destroy more, and even destroy more...
99
Suleiman listened in silence, and the evening wind blew his cloak, making a rustling sound. He finally turned around and looked at Tytos. Blackwood, and spoke slowly, his voice calm, but with a chilling frankness:
"The use of power depends on what the person uses the power to do."
"No one can determine whether the road is right or wrong, whether the destination is far or near."
He took a step forward, looking over Tytos's shoulders and looking at the vast land of Riverlands shrouded in darkness.
"The only thing that's certain is one thing."
"Westeros has been stagnant for too long."
"A king or a slave."
"It's time for everyone to move on."