Inside the fireplace, sparks occasionally flew from the fire, landing on the stone slab with a soft crackling sound. ♨♖ 😲😳
The newly appointed Lord Grin's voice remained gentle, but Baron Griven felt a chill run down his spine. His Adam's apple bobbed a few times as he said, "Yes... yes, Lord Gryn."
The firelight from the fireplace flickered in Gryn's eyes like twinkling stars. His fingers traced the rim of his wine glass as he said, " Griven, now that you've thought of the problem, it seems you've also come up with a solution. Let me hear your idea?"
Baron Griven felt the intense gaze from his daughter, but his eyes remained fixed, as if he were completely unaware.
He paused, then said, "Lord Gryn, perhaps you could adopt Robert Arryn as your son and rule the Vale as his foster father. I think that before Little Robert comes of age, it would be enough to consolidate your rule."
"It's a good idea, but it's impossible to implement."
Gryn took a sip of his Summer Wine and continued, "I came to the Vale in the name of King Joffrey. The King has the authority to decide the fate of Duke Arryn; I do not have that power."
He swirled the wine in his glass and continued, "Loyal Griven, I can tell you directly, Duke Arryn is King Joffrey's 'spoils of war,' the king will personally try him, and he's running out of patience."
Trial?!
After a moment of silence, Baron Griven said with concern, "Lord Gryn, please forgive my bluntness, but if Little Robert leaves the Vale, he could very well be used by those with ulterior motives. I think... this would be detrimental to your rule over the Vale."
Griven Hershey looked at the newly crowned monarch with utmost sincerity... We absolutely cannot give the House Arryn a chance to turn the tables, otherwise... he couldn't even imagine what the House Hersy's fate would be then.
Gryn seemed to sense Griven's worry. "There will be no place for the House Arryn in the Vale, you can rest assured, my loyal Baron."
A hint of hesitation crossed his face. He tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of his chair, then continued, " Griven, someone has privately informed King Joffrey that Robert Arryn is not Jon Arryn's son; he is Lysa Tully's bastard child."
"How is this possible!" Baron Griven exclaimed, his children all showing shock.
Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, Baron Griven paused, then quickly added, "It's very possible! No, I mean Little Robert bastard, he's Lysa and Petyr's bastard child!"
Gryn frowned slightly, seemingly somewhat disbelieving. " Griven, what I told you... is just King Joffrey's speculation..."
He sighed softly, "This is also one of the reasons why the King ordered me to send troops. His just and just Joffrey will not allow... the sin of bloodline incest to occur under his Iron Throne, which is why he must personally preside over the trial."
Baron Griven's face flushed with excitement. After a pause, he said, "Lord Gryn, many people in the Eyrie also know this secret, but they have chosen to remain silent in order to save their lives."
You mean the witness?
Gryn raised an eyebrow and asked again, "The real witness?"
Baron Griven nodded and said, "Yes, there are witnesses. I think they would be willing; those people are quite willing to testify before a just king."
After a moment's hesitation, Gryn pressed on, "You guarantee you're a genuine witness? King Joffrey doesn't like being deceived."
Baron Griven's eyes flickered slightly. He nodded again and said, "Lord Gryn, no one dares to lie to a just king. They are witnesses to the truth. I can tell you..."
He paused briefly, then continued, "I assure you it's true, my lord."
Gryn nodded slightly in relief and said, "Very good. As your lord, I will certainly trust my vassal. Thank you for your honesty and loyalty, Griven."
After a while, a maid approached Gryn with light footsteps and whispered in his ear. He nodded slightly and said, "Serve the food."
After Gryn led the three members of the House Hersy to their seats, the small dinner party began.
The waiters and maids served a variety of dishes: first, Mushroom soup; then, a salad with apples, nuts, and raisins, and crab claw pie; followed by roasted lamb with leeks and carrots, and goat cheese with roasted apples, served on a hollow bread plate.
A singer was playing an ancient harp, and the sweet music filled the small hall of Gates of the Moon.
Gryn raised his glass in a gesture of respect and said, "To the peace of the Seven Kingdoms."
As Gryn drank his fifth glass of wine, Rion Hershey stood up at his father's signal and bowed to Gryn's location.
He called out, "Lord Gryn, please allow me to fight for you. I only need 50 skilled swordsmen, and I guarantee I will take the Eyrie for you."
Gryn's eyes flickered slightly. He glanced at Baron Griven, whose face was full of satisfaction, but refused, saying, "Brave Rion, the mountain road to the Eyrie is too dangerous. You are Baron Griven's heir; you should not take such a risk lightly."
He added, "As far as I know, with the Eyrie's reserves, they can only hold out for a year at most. As a lord, I will not allow my vassals' heirs to be put in danger; I have patience."
Rion Hershey seemed somewhat surprised. He opened his mouth and said, "But... but..."
Gryn pressed his hand down, his voice gentle. " The House Hersy is loyal. I will not let you lack merit in battle. I will wait for the day you are conferred the title of Knight of Honor."
Gryn's reassuring words only made Rion more anxious. He hadn't noticed the subtle signal his father was giving him, and he hurriedly said, "But we've already made an appointment with Sir Egan, they're going tomorrow..."
There was a sudden silence in the hall.
'I... I...' Rion's lips trembled. He realized he had said something he shouldn't have, and his eyes darted around the people present in a panic.
His father's forehead was covered in sweat, and his sister was secretly watching... watching Lord Gryn?! She didn't seem to realize the situation at hand.
Finally, his gaze slowly shifted towards the direction of the head of the table.
Lord Gryn remained the same as before, a faint smile playing on his lips. He didn't seem unhappy about the secret he had "unintentionally" revealed, and Rion breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Gryn's voice was somewhat low. " Rion, which member of the House Egen?"
The House Egen is one of the noble families of the Vale. Their coat of arms features a blue and white background with a golden sun, a white crescent moon, and a silver star in the blue section. Their family motto is "Day and Night."
Hearing Gryn's question, Rion's heart skipped a beat. He wiped the sweat from his cheeks and said, "Yes... yes..."
For some reason, he couldn't utter a word, and in his extreme nervousness, Rion looked directly at his father.
Baron Griven snapped, "What are you looking at me for?! Didn't you hear Lord Gryn asking you a question?!"
Rion could only nod blankly, when Gryn spoke up to reassure him, " Rion, don't worry."
He instructed the waiter, "Pour him some wine."
With a whoosh, as the glass was filled, Rion, finally snapping out of his daze, picked up the glass and gulped it down in one go.
Then, just as he was about to explain his intrusion, Gryn said, "Just tell me the answer, Rion."
A sharp glint flashed in Gryn's eyes. Rion swallowed hard and said, "Lord Gryn, this is Ser Vardis Egen. He was Lord Jon Arryn's captain of the guard at the Red Keep."
When Lord Jon was alive, Gryn had seen Ser Vardis, with his full head of silver hair, broad face, and robust build, at the Tower of the Hand. He nodded slightly and asked, "What does he ask for?"
Rion scratched his head first, then shook his head, and then looked at his father.
Baron Griven blushed at his eldest son's actions. He bowed deeply to Gryn and said respectfully, "My lord, Sir Egan has heard that the Regent Mother trusts you greatly... He hopes to serve the Kingdom from the Red Keep."
Gryn tapped his long fingers on the armrest a few times and said, "I'll find him a good position in the Gold Cloaks Red Keep's guard."
He glanced at Rion, who still looked tense, and said with a slight smile, " Rion, did you hear that? I've sent someone to take you to select your men. Whether I can have dinner in Eyrie tomorrow... that's up to you."
After hearing his lord's words, Rion, who was in his early twenties, suddenly felt an urge to cry. His lord was too merciful. He wanted to storm Eyrie right now, immediately.
He suddenly knelt down and said, "I... I... I promise you, sir!"
Gryn rose from his chair and personally helped the excited Rion to his feet, saying, "This is a rare achievement. I await your knighthood at the Great Sept of Baelor in King's Landing, and I will even have the High Septon personally anoint you with holy oil..."
He patted Rion on the shoulder and said, "Go on, get ready."
"Yes, sir!"
Rion Hershey, head bowed and clutching his chest, took a few steps back, then tossed his pink cloak, turned, and strode away.
Gryn gestured for the others to leave, leaving only himself, Griven Hershey, and Miranda Hershey in the small hall.
Gryn didn't return to the dining table, but instead sat in the chair in front of the fireplace, leaning back and rubbing his temples.
Baron Griven strode over, knelt before Gryn, and said, "My lord, I am deeply ashamed of my presumptuousness. I dare not ask for your forgiveness; I only beg for your punishment."
A soft sigh escaped Gryn's lips, and Baron Griven lowered his head even further.
He paused, then said, " Griven, the second heir of the House Arryn is imprisoned in Ironoaks."
Griven glanced at the calm-faced Gryn and asked cautiously, "Sir, are you referring to Harold Hallyne (Chapter 251)?"
Gryn nodded slightly and said, "Merit is merit, and mistakes are mistakes, but... merit can sometimes make up for some mistakes."
His brown eyes fell on Baron Griven, and he continued, "Use him to prove your loyalty to Crabb to the Vale people... If you do well, I will not only completely forget tonight's unpleasantness, but I will also make the House Hersy one of the most prestigious families in the Vale. You can take this as my promise to you; Crabb Remembers."
Baron Griven's pupils contracted, and he called out, "Yes, Lord Gryn. The House Hersy will forever remember your kindness and grace."
"Miss Miranda, could you please help Baron Griven to his feet?"
The next day, as dawn broke, Rion Hershey led 52 elite Blue Cloaks up the mountain path to the Eyrie.
As evening approached, with Ser Vardis's support, Crabb's Swamp Marigold Banner fluttered atop the Eyrie's spire, and the Duke of the Eyrie, the Warden of the Vale, the Warden of the East, and Robert Arryn became Crabb's prisoners.
Robb Stark's Stark - Tully alliance was invincible in the Westerlands, but Edmure Tully's plan to ambush Lannister reinforcements in the Westerlands was ruined when he blocked Lord Tywin's return to the Red Fork.
When Kevan Lannister returned to the Westerlands, he ordered the Lannister Westerlands there to fortify every strategic location, leaving Robb Stark, whose army was primarily composed of cavalry, without a clear countermeasure.
Later, Robb set his sights on the Crag on the western coast of the Westerlands whose walls had fallen into disrepair.
Robb planned to use the fall of the Crag as a temporary base in the Westerlands to rest and regroup his troops. He also intended to use the port of the Crag to transport the spoils plundered by his lords in the Westerlands by sea, thus pacifying the army.
However, the dilapidated walls of the Crag withstood repeated assaults by the Stark - Tully forces.
After a prolonged siege of the Crag, Robb Stark, in desperation, personally joined the attack. The arrival of the King in the North and the King of the Trident instantly boosted the morale of the Stark - Tully forces. Although they eventually captured the Crag, Robb was struck in the shoulder by an arrow and fell into a coma.
The Crag, Robb had been unconscious for two days and two nights, struggled to open his eyes and murmured hoarsely, "Water... water..."
"Great, you're finally awake? Oh... please wait..."
Robb vaguely heard cheerful sounds. After being fed water, he glimpsed chestnut hair right in front of him before losing consciousness.
When Robb woke up again, it was the afternoon of the following day.
The Maiden was carefully changing Robb's dressing. She was slender, with a heart-shaped face beneath her chestnut curly hair.
After tidying up, the Maiden looked at Robb, who was staring at her, with her brown eyes. Her cheeks seemed to be slightly flushed with shyness.
The Maiden's voice was soft. "King Stark, you are very strong, I think you will recover soon."
Robb's voice was still a little hoarse. "Thank you for taking care of me... This should be the first time I've met you. Who are you?"
The Maiden's lips curved upwards, revealing a row of pearly white teeth. "Your Majesty, I am Jeyne Westerling, it is my honor."
Jeyne Westerling was as bright as the summer sun, Robb's lips couldn't help but curve upwards as well. "I'm also honored to have been taken care of by you. Thank you again, Westerling."
"Perhaps... you can simply call me Jeyne, Your Majesty."