Rebellion in the Riverlands, Sorrow of the Seven Kingdoms

In the great hall of House Massey's castle at Stonedance, the air was heavy and oppressive.

Lady Carlen Massey sat in the seat of honor, her hands clenched tightly around the armrests, her body trembling uncontrollably.

A lord who had fled from the heart of the Crownlands was recounting his experience.

His luxurious clothes were caked in mud, and his face was still marked by lingering terror.

"They... those Riverlands men are nothing but beasts!"

His voice trembled with anger.

"They surrounded my castle and sent someone to call out that if we opened the gates and surrendered, they would guarantee our lives."

"They would only take our valuables and food, and make prisoners of us."

Lady Carlen held her breath.

A knight of House Massey could not help asking, "Then... what if we resisted?"

The fleeing noble gave a bitter laugh, his eyes bloodshot.

"Resist?"

"They call their massacres of entire cities 'cleansing the city.'"

"They slaughter everyone in the castle, nobles and soldiers alike, leaving no one alive."

A chorus of sharp inhales rose through the hall.

"When they besiege a castle..." The noble's voice grew lower and lower, as though recounting a tale from hell.

"They drive those Poor Fellows fanatics—the useless old, weak, women, and children—toward the walls."

"They claim they are helping them atone for their sins and escorting them to heaven."

"They let them be shot dead beneath the walls, crushed to death by rolling stones, exhausting our defensive supplies."

"They use those people's corpses until they pile into steps high enough to climb the castle walls."

"It is clearly to reduce the losses among their own soldiers while saving food."

Lady Carlen covered her mouth in horror, her stomach churning violently.

She could not imagine such a sight.

After finishing, the noble collapsed