Under the blue sky and white clouds, golden ears of wheat rippled in the wind like ocean waves, shimmering with brilliant light.
Fertile black soil... wide and gentle rivers... hundreds of lakes of all sizes... Lord Gryn, riding on horseback, revealed a pleased expression. He gently raised one hand, and there was also the warm sunlight.
Lena's energetic voice rang out. "My lord, they say the pumpkins in the Vale are bigger than those in Highgarden, and the fruit is sweeter too."
With a snap, she took a big bite of the apple in her hand, chewed it a few times, swallowed it, and said, "My lord, the fruit here is so sweet and ripe it bursts in your mouth. I could eat a whole basket in one go."
Gryn glanced at the petite Lena, his eyes crinkling with a smile, "You'll have plenty to eat later."
Lena chuckled at first, then suddenly paused, leaning towards Gryn and lowering her voice, "Sir, are you going to steal... um... you've got your eye on this land?"
Gryn smiled, tugged on the reins, adjusted the horse's direction, and said, " Lena, why are we attacking the Vale?"
Lena clenched one hand and replied, "The people of the Vale have oppressed us for fifteen years. We have come for revenge, for blood to be paid for blood."
Gryn nodded slightly and said, "Then... in fifteen years, will the people of the Vale also rise up in rebellion, harboring hatred like we have?"
Lena blinked her big eyes and said, "Do they have the guts? The men of the Vale are too cowardly. We only fired three volleys, and that towering Gates of the Moon opened its gates and surrendered."
Gates of the Moon is located at the foot of Giant's Lance, surrounded by a moat. It is larger than the Eyrie and guards the only road leading to the Eyrie.
Gryn praised, "Well done."
He added, "Hatred will eventually breed the courage for revenge, Crabb will not underestimate any potential enemy."
He added in his mind: For the sake of rule, even after the war is over, they still have to find a way to sit down together and have a banquet.
Lena nodded emphatically and said, "I will remember that, my lord! Even sheep can butt people, and I will always give my all in every battle."
Gryn nodded gently and asked, "Have you been to the Eyrie?"
Rena shrugged helplessly and said, "There's only one very narrow and treacherous path to get there. I estimate it will take at least half a day to climb over... and there are three fortresses guarding the area ( Stone, Snow, and Long Sky Fortress)..."
As she spoke, she couldn't help but sigh, then her tone changed, and she said angrily, "How could the damned House Arryn live in a place like that? It looks more like a prison built on a mountaintop."
Gryn's eyes flickered slightly. "A cold, pale prison... that's a good idea, Lena."
Lena looked at her lord with a puzzled expression and said, "What a great idea... Did I really come up with it? How come I didn't know about it?"
Before Gryn could reply, she couldn't contain her curiosity and asked in a low voice, "My lord, will this place become Crabb's New Lands?"
The Maiden's Tower is the easternmost of the seven spires of the Eyrie, and therefore offers the best view. In the morning light, the forests, rivers, and fields appear languidly, and the light shimmers on the hilltops, resembling countless legendary pyramids.
Petyr Baelish stood on the white stone-carved balcony of the Maiden's Tower, seemingly overlooking the entire Vale.
His hair had turned quite gray, and he was gazing outwards... More than 600 feet directly below was Sky Tower, and then countless carved stone steps formed a winding road that passed through Snow and Stone, leading straight down to Gates of the Moon.
Petyr's grey-green eyes trembled... The towers and fortifications of Gates of the Moon were as small as Little Robert enough to be crushed with a stretch of one's leg.
"Ha!" Petyr suddenly let out a mocking laugh. The guards of Gates of the Moon had actually surrendered. The Oath Knights left in the Eyrie were really reliable.
" Gryn Kleber..." This cost him a favorable position in the negotiations.
His fist suddenly slammed into the intricately carved railing. He never dreamed of such an unexpected outcome, but it was the reality he had to accept.
Fewer than 10,000 soldiers from the Crackclaw Point defeated more than 30,000 troops from the Vale almost without any casualties, and it is said that none of them survived.
Petyr was furious at Crabb's atrocities? No, he was even more furious at the foolishness of the Vale nobles—couldn't they just run away if they couldn't win?
Was it for the sake of so-called knightly honor that they chose to fight to the death? If the Vale Knights value honor so much, then what about Gates of the Moon? Why did they so easily betray their honor?!
They're all dead, not only the True Declaration of Lords Declarant, but also the Declaration of Lords Declarant members he had painstakingly bribed in secret.
There are practically no cards left to play.
Bloody Gate... Little Robert... Cat... Petyr's eyes flickered as he thought of the woman he loved.
After standing for a while, Petyr slowly took a breath, straightened his clothes, and his usual elegant expression gradually returned to his face.
He had a gut feeling that Gryn Crabb had his eye on his life and that it was dangerous.
Turning around, Petyr strode off with his hands behind his back.
With a knock, Petyr raised his hand and knocked on the door. Without waiting for a response from inside, he pushed the door open and entered.
Catelyn Tully stood by the window, her back to him.
Seeing that she ignored the visitor, Petyr spoke in a teasing tone, " Cat, no offense intended, but I have already survived three assassination attempts by you. Please don't mind my precautions."
He shrugged, a broad smile on his face, and said, "At least I knocked before I came in."
Lady Catelyn remained motionless, but this did not dampen Petyr's enthusiasm for the conversation. "I never imagined that taking care of a child could be such a headache. Little Robert spilled two bowls of porridge this morning because there were no eggs. It took Maester Colemon and me a lot of effort to calm him down."
He paused a few steps behind Lady Catelyn and continued, "This morning, the old servant of the Eyrie told me that the weather seems to be getting colder. Could this mean Winter is Coming?"
Lady Catelyn said coldly, " The Gods will not forgive you. Before long, you will understand what it truly means for Winter is Coming."
Seeing Cat speak, Petyr smiled, paused, and said, "Compared to the Eyrie, where every step echoes, I miss Riverrun, filled with childhood memories. Lately, I've been especially nostalgic for those times..."
Lady Catelyn turned and looked coldly at Petyr, saying, " Baelish, you have no right to bring up your past in Riverrun. You killed my sister; you are an enemy of House Tully."
Petyr stared blankly at Catelyn for a moment, her beautiful face filled with hatred for herself.
He chuckled self-deprecatingly and sighed, " Cat, you should leave."
Catelyn's pupils contracted sharply, her gaze wary. " Baelish, you dare let me go?"
"I'm such an idiot..."
Muttering something to himself, Petyr reached out and tugged at his collar, then sighed, " Cat, I have some... really good news for you."
Catelyn turned around, still alert, and asked, "What news?"
Petyr gave a bitter smile and said, "The men I secretly sent to scout Eddard Stark's whereabouts... arrived with his carrier raven at dawn."
He moved his lips slightly. "That foolish Direwolf is still alive, and he's brought Sansa and Arya back to Winterfell safely."
Catelyn's eyes instantly filled with tears, her lips trembling slightly as she said, "Really... really?"
Petyr lowered his eyes sadly and whispered in a hoarse voice, "Although I want to lie to you and say that this isn't true, I can't. I'm such a fool."
He raised his eyelids to look at Catelyn, forcing a smile, " Cat, if it weren't for the war in the Vale, I think the news of the Direwolf's return to Winterfell would have reached the Eyrie long ago... It's true, I swear to the Gods."
Tears streamed down Catelyn's cheeks as she murmured, "Thank goodness... thank goodness... thank the Gods..."
Then, despite tears streaming down her face, Catelyn couldn't help but smile with love and warmth.
After a long while, she wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand and said, " Baelish, with your cunning, you should know very well... If you let me out, you will be in great danger, and I will absolutely not protect you."
Petyr shrugged and said, "Unfortunately, if you're unlucky, I might be long gone by the time you come looking for me."
Catelyn frowned, and Petty seemed to immediately guess what she was thinking, saying with amusement, " Cat, please don't misunderstand. Although I'm very afraid of death, I won't abandon Little Robert for my own life. I was Lysa's chosen foster father for her son before she died."
Catelyn's eyes burned with hatred as she coldly declared, " Baelish, you not only murdered Lysa, but you also took everything from her. No matter where you flee, the Gods will not forgive your sins."
Petyr could hardly hide the sadness on his face. He paused, then changed the subject. " Gates of the Moon has been captured by King Joffrey's army. Everyone here could defect at any moment to save their lives. You must take care of yourself until I return... If I don't come back, I hope you will look after Little Robert for me, for Lysa's sake."
Catelyn's eyes trembled; Petyr's expression suddenly awakened memories she thought she had long forgotten.
At that time, before making that crazy decision, he looked at himself with the same eyes, as if it were yesterday.
Sixteen years ago, her father betrothed her to Brandon Tully Stark.
When she got engaged, the frail young Petyr challenged Brandon Tully, who was much older than him, to a duel for her sake.
Before the duel began, she told her fiancé... Petyr was just a silly boy, but she loved him like a younger brother... She would be very sad if he died.
Her fiancé looked at her with those cool, gray House Stark eyes and promised to spare the life of the boy who was madly in love with her.
In fact, the duel ended almost as soon as it began.
The now-adult Brandon Tully forced Petyr to retreat step by step, from the castle courtyard all the way to the waterfront steps. His attacks were fierce, causing the boy to stagger and be covered in wounds.
Her fiancé called on Petyr to surrender more than once, but he always shook his head and stubbornly continued to fight.
Finally, in water that reached his ankles, Brandon Tully made his decision. He swung his sword backhand with tremendous force, piercing Petyr's breastplate and leather, tearing through the soft flesh below his ribs. The wound was so deep that Catelyn thought it would surely be fatal.
The boy lay in a pool of blood, gazing at her and murmuring her name, while bright red blood gushed from between his iron gloves.
Petyr spent two full weeks recuperating. Once he had recovered somewhat, her father sent for him to be placed in a small, enclosed sedan chair and carried back to the Fingers for further treatment.
Catelyn moved her lips, her gaze complex, and asked, "What are you going to do?"
Petyr said casually, " King Joffrey's army commander is an old friend of mine, and I intend to catch up with him... If I'm lucky, Little Robert will be safe... If not, I hope you can protect your nephew; he's a poor child."
Catelyn touched the dagger hidden in her sleeve with her fingertips and said, " Baelish, it sounds like your so-called good friend will take your life. I don't like your wordplay; just tell me what's going on outside."
Petyr shrugged and said, "Madam, I've told you everything I could."
His loving, grey-green eyes gazed deeply at Cat, then he turned away, as if bidding farewell. "May the Gods bless you, Cat."
Seeing Petyr about to leave, Catelyn called out, "Stop!"
"You murderer, stop right there!" Petyr's steps did not falter.
Catelyn stepped forward and blocked his path, drawing a dagger and pressing it against Petyr's neck.
Where is Little Robert?
Petyr paused, leaning back slightly with a sigh, and said gently, " Cat, he's in his bedroom, with Maester Colemon beside him. Little Robert is fine, you can trust me."
Catelyn said coldly, " Baelish, do you think I would believe that a murderer who killed her own mother would take good care of her child?"
Petyr opened his mouth but didn't speak, his eyes avoiding Catelyn's gaze.
" Cat, you know what I care about most. I beg you... let me leave in peace."
Catelyn gazed at Petyr and said, "I don't want to speculate about what you're going to do, or who you're making a choice to atone for. I know, and Little Robert will know when he grows up... you are the one who murdered Lysa."
Petyr's face showed a rare hint of annoyance; his chest heaved, and his lips were tightly pursed.
After a pause, Petyr, her face flushed, couldn't help but say, " Cat, you only saw me push Lysa out of the Moon Door, but have you forgotten yourself? If I hadn't appeared in time..."
He pointed to the dagger pressed against his neck. "Whose abdomen will it pierce, or will it be mine? If I hadn't appeared, whose abdomen would you have stabbed it in...? If my guess is correct, who is the murderer you speak of...? Who will kill Lysa?"