Early morning, in a field north of Gulltown. ••¤(`×[¤ ¤]×´)¤••
The sky was a clear blue, and the distant mountains were shrouded in morning mist, appearing and disappearing in the distance.
The dewdrops on the grass were crystal clear, and the sunlight shone through the thin morning mist, sparkling with dazzling light, like a golden ocean.
Gryn Crabb paced back and forth on his horse, behind him a rectangular formation of 1,000 Crabb spearmen, dressed in uniform blue robes, silver-tipped helmets, and silver breastplates. The tips of their thousand spears, pointing to the sky, gleamed coldly, their orderly formation exuding an imposing military aura.
Gryn wore silver armor engraved with exquisite patterns, rode a magnificent white warhorse, and the ruby on the hilt of the " Lady Forlorn " sword at his waist gleamed. His blue cloak embroidered with Marsh Marigold fluttered in the wind.
The sunlight was dazzling, and at that moment, Gryn looked like a knight who had stepped out of a ballad.
Gryn stared ahead; a few hundred meters away stood hundreds of cavalrymen bearing the banners of the Declaration of Lords Declarant.
After a pause, Gryn lightly kicked the horse's belly, and the warhorse trotted forward, with the standard-bearer holding the Crabb banner following closely behind.
Count Jon Royce, his Earl serious, glanced at the other members of the Declaration of Lords Declarant with his deep eyes, then kicked his horse and rode off towards Gryn with the standard-bearer.
Facing the refreshing breeze, Gryn raised his head slightly, silently reciting in his heart: As High as Honor... As High as Honor... As High as Honor...
In an open space between the Declaration of Lords Declarant and Crabb, Bronze Yohn saw a young knight with clear eyes that revealed a resolute spirit.
Jon Royce wore bronze armor engraved with magical runes. Although his hair was gray and his face was weathered, his eyes remained sharp.
At this moment, Gryn's attire and demeanor both exuded the aura of a glorious knight.
Bronze Yohn's grey eyes trembled slightly. He even marveled inwardly that such an outstanding knight could be born from the savage Crackclaw Point! This thought was quickly dismissed. He hadn't forgotten that the person before him was an invader from the Vale, the avenger known as the Bloody Earl.
But... the aged Bronze Yohn had to admit that he felt a little more favorably toward the young knight before him than he had before they met.
Gryn first greeted them humbly, then announced in a loud voice, " Earl Royce, I, Gryn Crabb, Earl of Crackclaw Point and Warden of Crackclaw Point, in the name of King Joffrey, am here to apprehend Lysa Tully, the murderer of Lord Jon Arryn."
He held aloft the parchment bearing the king's seal and continued, "By order of King Joffrey, anyone who obstructs the capture of Lysa Tully is a traitor to the kingdom, King Joffrey will, in accordance with the kingdom's laws, strip traitors of their titles and fiefs."
He added, "His Joffrey I of House Baratheon and House Lannister, in the name of the Andals, the Rhoynar, the First Men, and the King of the Seven Kingdoms, has granted me the power, in the name of the King, to execute rebels on behalf of His Majesty the King."
Bronze Yohn: "..."
Gryn urged his horse forward, handing the royal decree to Bronze Yohn, and said, " Earl Royce, if I may be so bold, I need to know your choice regarding the Declaration of Lords Declarant."
Bronze Yohn glanced at the " Lady Forlorn " pendant on Gryn's waist, then took the royal decree from Gryn with a complicated expression. He lowered his eyes to examine the contents of the writing.
" Lord Crabb, the goals of the Declaration of Lords Declarant do not conflict with the King's orders..."
As Bronze Yohn handed the royal decree to Gryn, he said, "But you, as an envoy entrusted with the king's heavy responsibilities, have not only committed the crime of invading the Vale..."
He roared, "You even brought about the demise of the House Grafton! Your evil deeds have exposed your selfishness; you have committed an unforgivable crime!"
"Personal reasons..."
Gryn countered, " Earl Royce, if I were acting out of self-interest, do you think only the House Grafton would disappear?"
He added, "You should be well aware of the hatred Crackclaw Point towards the Vale. If I had selfish motives, why are the other families still doing well?"
Bronze Yohn couldn't find a suitable reason for a moment, but Gryn continued, "Without my forceful restraint, how would the Crackclaw Point men, who have ignited the flames of hatred, retaliate? Normally, what you would see now is a scorched earth, a hellish landscape."
Gryn's voice carried a hint of anger. " Earl Royce, I am acting in the King's name. As a knight renowned throughout the Seven Kingdoms, you should not question a knight's honor without cause."
Bronze Yohn Bronze Yohn remained silent, not merely because he couldn't refute Gryn's words. He was thinking about their current lords... this was the trouble brought about by the young and weak Duke of the Eyrie... If the Vale lords were strong... if Lysa Tully hadn't caused chaos in the Vale... would the Vale vassals still need to heed the young king's orders without the Vale lords' consent?
Bronze Yohn had to admit that, given the current situation in the Vale, whether the Declaration of Lords Declarant wanted to restore order to the Vale as soon as possible or to maintain the House Arryn's rule over the Vale, the Vale could not do without the support of the Red Keep, at least until the Duke of the Eyrie came of age.
Bronze Yohn's brow furrowed, and he said coldly, " Lord Crabb, Sir Lyn Corbray is acting on orders from the Declaration of Lords Declarant to scout out the situation in Gulltown ahead of time."
He glanced at the " Lady Forlorn " badge on Gryn's waist, then said, "Could it be that they, too, committed a rebellion...?"
Gryn interrupted, "Your Excellency Earl Jon Royce, the scouts you speak of have suddenly attacked the King's army."
Bronze Yohn opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Gryn spoke first, asking, "Please don't question the honor of a knight without reason. Do I need to swear an oath to the Gods to prove it?"
Bronze Yohn knew Sir Lyn's temperament well, or rather, he was already familiar with what Gryn was saying.
Bronze Yohn, a proud lord, was slightly irritated by the repeated verbal "defeats." He said directly, " Lord Crabb, no amount of eloquent words can change the fact that you have occupied Gulltown."
He paused, then continued, "On behalf of the Declaration of Lords Declarant, I demand that your troops immediately withdraw from Gulltown in the Vale, otherwise..."
Gryn raised an eyebrow and replied, "Will the Vale army send me away themselves, Earl Royce?"
Bronze Yohn's gaze sharpened. " Lord Crabb, you may execute so-called guilty persons by the king's decree and the laws of the kingdom, but you have no reason to continue occupying the lands of the Vale! The tens of thousands of cavalrymen of the Vale will never tolerate intruders!"
After a moment of silence, Gryn spoke up, " Earl Royce, as the ruler of Crackclaw Point, I am more worried that the 100,000 hunters of Crackclaw Point will turn the Vale into their hunting grounds in pursuit of revenge."
With a helpless sigh, he looked at the taut-faced Bronze Yohn: "Although Crabb is the ruler of Crackclaw Point, do you think I alone can continue to quell the flames of hatred that have been burning on Crackclaw Point for over a decade? Should I... for the sake of peace in the Vale, instead seal off my own territory? If I really do that... will the House Crabb still be the ruling family of Crackclaw Point?"
Gryn shrugged. "Besides, Crabb is one of the biggest victims of the Vale nobles' oppression over the past decade."
He spread his hands. "As the Earl of Crackclaw Point, the greatest mercy I can best do is to order my soldiers not to burn or kill in Gulltown, or even the villages near Gulltown."
A cold glint flashed in Gryn's eyes. " Earl Royce, I did this not because Crabb has forgotten his hatred for the Vale; I was simply following the principles of chivalry: justice and compassion."
The two men gazed at each other, paused, and then Bronze Yohn solemnly placed his Right Hand on his chest, saying, " Gryn Lord Crabb, you are a knight of excellent character. I apologize for my previous presumptuous suspicions."
After saying that, he nodded slightly to Gryn.
Gryn took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly, and bowed, saying, " Earl Jon Royce, it is the greatest honor of my life to receive your praise."
As the sun rose, the thin mist gradually dissipated, and the view became more open.
A gentle breeze carries the fragrance of flowers and grass, making one feel refreshed and relaxed.
Both Gryn and Bronze Yohn gazed at the enchanting mountains bathed in the morning light.
After a long while, Gryn withdrew his gaze and suddenly said, " Earl, the Red Keep hopes I will stay in the Vale. I think with your wisdom, you should be able to guess the Red Keep's purpose in doing so."
His tone was earnest. "So, I need a good reason that will both allow me to leave here and convince the Red Keep."
Bronze Yohn's eyes flickered slightly, his gaze still fixed on the distance, as he murmured, " The Lannister Red Keep..."
Gryn looked at Bronze Yohn and said solemnly, " Earl, I confess to you that due to the long-term blockade and suppression, Crackclaw Point is actually very weak now. I know very well that what Crackclaw Point needs now is to recuperate, not to live in hatred... I want to take this opportunity to eliminate Crackclaw Point's hatred for the Vale, but I need your help."
Bronze Yohn at the reins, his deep eyes shifting to Gryn, and said, " Lord Gryn, do you have a way?"
Gryn nodded slightly and said, "To be honest, I actually had this idea before I even entered the Vale..."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "We will use the traditions of knighthood to settle our feud."
A hint of doubt flickered in Bronze Yohn's eyes. Gryn continued, "Let's set a time for a duel between the Crackclaw Point hunters and the Vale cavalry, a fair and honorable war to settle our hatred."
Upon hearing Gryn's words, Bronze Yohn's first thought was of Tournament. He frowned and asked, "A duel? What kind of duel?"
Before Gryn could speak, Bronze Yohn continued, "War... you mean...?"
Gryn nodded slightly. He first recounted the tradition of "fighting duels" on Crackclaw Point (Chapter 5), then continued, "... through such a great battle, regardless of who wins or loses, hatred will vanish into thin air."
The Wildling of Crackclaw Point dare to challenge the cavalry of the Vale on the plains? With those spears? What's the difference between that and suicide?! The Vale nobles have a deep-rooted "contempt" for Crackclaw Point, which, strictly speaking, can be considered a kind of tradition.
Upon hearing Gryn's words, Bronze Yohn seemed to reflexively reveal a look of disdain, which, though fleeting, did not escape Lord Gryn's notice.
Bronze Yohn cleared his throat and asked, "How many people are there?"
Gryn shook his head slightly and said, "There is no limit to the number of participants. In the name of the Warden of Crackclaw Point, I will inform every citizen of my territory that anyone who wants revenge can participate. I will not restrict them, because only in this way can the flames of hatred be truly extinguished."
Bronze Yohn gazed at the clear-eyed Gryn for a moment, then pondered, " Lord Gryn, the Red Keep might have misunderstood this duel between the Vale and the Crackclaw Point."
While Bronze Yohn harbored some fondness for Gryn's chivalry, he remained wary of Gryn and distrusted the Red Keep, which was under the Lannister' control.
Given the Lannister ' cunning, once the Knights of the Vale have defeated the Crackclaw Point men, they could very well use that victory to slander them.
As for... is it possible for Crackclaw Point to win? Absolutely not!
Therefore, Bronze Yohn only considered what would happen after the Knights of the Vale won.
Gryn pulled a parchment from a bag hanging on his saddle and handed it to Bronze Yohn, saying, "Sir Jorn, please take a look at this... This is the reason I persuaded the Red Keep."
This is a declaration of war written in the name of resolving the hatred between the Vale and the Crackclaw Point... Read on... Bronze Yohn's brow gradually relaxed.
After reading it, the perceptive Gryn sensed a hint of offense from the way Bronze Yohn was looking at him; it seemed he was looking at an idiot?!
Gryn gave a gentle smile; the magnanimous Lord Gryn was not angry at all!
Bronze Yohn nodded slightly towards Gryn; he hadn't seen such a pure knight in a long time!
Gryn raised his chin slightly, displaying youthful vigor. " Earl, if Crackclaw Point is defeated, my soldiers will immediately withdraw from Gulltown."
Bronze Yohn seemed to have already won. " Lord Gryn, after the war I will hand Lysa Tully over to you to take back to the Red Keep."
First, Gryn stamped the seal, and then Jon Royce, the leader of the Declaration of Lords Declarant, stamped the war declaration written by Gryn on behalf of the Knights of the Vale.
Thus, with the Gods of heaven as witnesses, the duel between the two sides was concluded.
Fifty days later, right here, Crackclaw Point and Vale will face off.
Gryn nodded goodbye to Bronze Yohn, then pulled on the reins, turned his horse around, and strode toward Crabb's army.
As High as Honor... As High as Honor... As High as Honor... Hmm, we can stop here.
Sitting on his horse, Gryn looked up at the sky... Next, he needed to help the Declaration of Lords Declarant spread the news of today, so that every Knight of the Vale would know that Crackclaw Point had challenged them to war.
Gryn tugged on the reins, adjusting the horse's direction.
Left with no other choice, Lord Gryn decided to break the backbone of the Vale Knights in one battle.