The early morning sunlight penetrated into House Grell Castle Lord's Hall, but the atmosphere on the illuminated long table was far less warm than the light.
The owner of the castle, Damon. Grell, sat at the head of the long table, his face as pale as white paper soaked in water. Suleiman sat beside him, pointing his fingers unconsciously. Knocking on the table, opposite him was Tytos. Blackwood, with a serious expression, and on the right was Raymun. Darry, with a solemn expression.
The hall was crowded with knights from Riverlands. They talked in low voices and glanced at the most incongruous existence in the center of the hall from time to time.
Maron. Greyjoy was tied tightly to an oak chair with a thick hemp rope, with a ball of cloth stuffed in his mouth. No one dared to ask Lord Suleiman why he brought a Ironborn to the military meeting. They only knew that there was no need to question Lord Suleiman's order.
Tytos. Blackwood was the first to break the silence, his voice echoing in the hall. "We can't stay here long."
"Ironborn's army may find here at any time. We should hunt in West Riverlands like before and defeat them one by one."
He paused and turned his eyes to Damon. Grell next to him:
"Grell can lead the knights of the family to join us."
Tytos. Blackwood's eyes stayed on Damon. Grell's face for a moment, his brows furrowed slightly, and he found that the castle owner's face was horribly pale, and his body was even trembling slightly unconsciously. This was not what a lord who had just recaptured the castle from his enemy should look like.
Could it be that asking him to join their cavalry army made him so afraid?
"As for this castle...
. Give up for the time being. Your family can take refuge at the Westerlands under the escort of family soldiers. This is a safer choice."
Everyone's eyes were focused on Suleiman, who was sitting on the side. Their team had never held a military meeting in the past, and it was this young commander who made decisions arbitrarily. But today, Suleiman was surprisingly silent, just closing his eyes and concentrating without saying a word.
The knights misunderstood this silence and thought that Lord Suleiman encouraged them to argue in order to summarize the best decision. They immediately started a heated discussion on Lord Tytos. Blackwood's proposal. The sound became louder and louder, and the whole hall became noisy.
Just when the argument reached its climax, a sudden voice sounded.
"I...
.. I have a proposal."
This trembling voice was so sudden that it was not loud, but it instantly overwhelmed all the noise and attracted everyone's attention.
Damon. Grell stood up unsteadily, his face so white that it was almost transparent.
He stretched out a shaking hand and pointed at Maron. Greyjoy who was tied to a chair in the center of the hall:
"Balon. Greyjoy That traitor's son is now in our hands."
Damon. Grell's voice became high-pitched with excitement and trembling.
"I.-
. I have a suggestion!"
He took a deep breath, as if he had exhausted all his strength.
"In that case! I am willing to endure humiliation and bear the burden for the kingdom! Please allow me to declare surrender Iron Islands! In the name of swearing allegiance to Balon. Greyjoy!"
"Let Maron. Greyjoy hold a banquet in my castle! Invite the Ironborn leader of the nearest army!"
"Then! I trapped them all in the hall! Let the soldiers of House Grell handle it! I took them...
. Kill them all!"
Damon. Grell almost shouted the last sentence, his chest heaving violently.
"And everyone! Jue! You only need to deal with those Ironborn from outside the city who came to celebrate and indulge in alcohol!!!"
As he finished speaking, his hands shook like fallen leaves in the autumn wind. Lord's Hall fell into a terrible silence. You could hear a needle drop. Time seemed to have frozen. The knights all opened their mouths, with shock and confusion written on their faces.
What did Mr. Grell say? Did they hear it wrong?
"Woooooooooo!!!" Maron. Greyjoy, who was tied to the chair, struggled violently. The chair made a harsh scraping sound on the stone floor. His eyes were blood red, and he roared in a voice that was not like a human voice, as if he wanted to swallow all the cloth in his mouth.
Tytos. Blackwood stood up from the chair tremblingly, every word he said seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, "What did you say...
.Damon. Grell Sir?"
Damon. Grell has only one thought in his mind. Once the damn Blood Oath is leaked, House Grell will be doomed. This is the only way, only by making the fake become real and the real become fake, can House Grell be saved.
Whoever prevents him from surrendering is his enemy, so what if House Blackwood! He gritted his teeth and repeated his proposal almost word for word.
Tytos. Blackwood's voice suddenly rose in pitch, and the hand pointing at him was trembling. "Are you crazy!!"
"Don't you have any honor? Guest Right is the most sacred law witnessed by the gods! Do you want to massacre your guests in your own hall?"
Damon. Grell thought of what Suleiman said last night, and how his wife and daughter cried when they were dragged by Ironborn, and asked angrily, "Honor??"
"Ironborn When they "insulted" my wife and daughter in my hall, did they have the honor? Did they respect the owner of the castle?"
"They trampled on my homeland and slaughtered my people. Do they have the honor?"
Tytos. Blackwood roared, his figure tense with anger. "That is not the reason for you to disobey the gods!"
"We have our own code!! We can't become like those beasts!!!"
Can't? Damon. Grell sneered in his heart, not letting me do this, not letting me turn the real into fake, and the fake into real, just to kill me! So what if House Grell! House Blackwood is killed?
Damon. Grell raised his head suddenly, a kind of desperate madness burst out in his eyes, and began to repeat the words Suleiman taught him, turning sin into honor, gritting his teeth on every word:
"What is honor? Master Tytos!"
His voice drowned out all comments, carrying a tragic accusation.
"I, Damon. Grell, am willing to bear the charge of treason and be cursed by the gods. I am willing to let my family bear eternal infamy and curse! Just for the victory of the kingdom! Isn't this honor?"
He took a step forward and looked directly at Tytos. Blackwood.
"Tell me, Lord Tytos! What is your honor!"
"How many noble families were destroyed in this disaster caused by Ironborn?"
"How many noble wives and daughters have become Ironborn's Salt Wife, suffering humiliation? How many Riverlands's people are suffering from Ironborn's devastation?"
"Is your honor just for your ridiculous personal reputation and for the benefit of House Blackwood, so you have to sit back and watch Ironborn continue to destroy our home?"
Damon. Grell's voice became more and more passionate, as if he was reciting a sacred oath.
"House Grell will never sit idly by and watch!"
"My personal reputation, House Grell's honor, in the face of Riverlands's peace, I will make all sacrifices!"
"I only hope that the war in Riverlands can be extinguished! I only hope that the displaced Riverlands people can go home! I only hope that our wives and daughters will no longer be humiliated by wild beasts!"
"This is what I will do! This is my honor! House Grell! I am willing to bear all the sins for this!"
The whole hall was silent. The knights present, those who thought this proposal was ridiculous just now, were all stunned now. They were shocked by this impassioned speech and their scalps were numb.
They don't know the fact that House Grell has secretly surrendered. In their eyes, this is a lord who is willing to sacrifice all his and his family's reputation, belief, and even soul for the sake of the kingdom.
Willing to bear the sins of treason and blasphemy, and pay the heaviest price, just for the kingdom to win. Loyalty, loyalty beyond words, Westeros actually has such a righteous family!
In comparison, Tytos. Blackwood's words appear so small and selfish in the face of this debate. What is honor?
Tytos. Blackwood was also stunned by these words, yes.
What is your own honor?
In order to maintain the sacred and ancient laws of Guest Right, he gave up an opportunity to severely damage Ironborn and allowed the noble family to perish. The civilians were tortured by Ironborn, and Riverlands continued to bleed...
, is this really an honor?
His mind was in confusion, his body swayed, and finally he fell back on the chair weakly, unable to say a word.
Everyone's eyes were once again focused on the young man who had remained silent from beginning to end. They were waiting for Lord Suleiman's final decision.
Snap, snap, snap.
Suleiman opened his eyes, clapped his hands lightly, and crisp applause sounded in the hall:
"Grell-sama."
He stopped applauding and glanced at everyone present, finally landing on the lost Tytos. Blackwood o
"Since House Grell is willing to bear all the sins for Riverlands."
His voice was not loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.
"How can we people, for the sake of our own illusory reputation, put Riverlands thousands of living beings at risk?"
Suleiman nodded slightly.
"You can give it a try."