The Muster Horn

The road from Gulltown to Runestone wound through the foothills of the Mountains of the Moon.

The farther north they traveled, the colder the air became. The trees along the road gradually thinned, exposing grayish-brown rock like the bare bones of giants.

Daemon reined in his horse and looked at the winding procession ahead, his brow furrowing slightly. They had been gone from Gulltown for barely half a day, yet they had already encountered three groups bound for Runestone: first, two minor noble knights with their retainers; then, more than a dozen landed knights carrying spears; and finally, a band of peasants with packs on their backs and rusted weapons in hand. Their leader said they were soldiers summoned by their lord.

"What is going on?" Rayford Rosby asked as he rode closer, his warhorse pawing uneasily at the ground.

"Your Highness, it seems even livelier ahead." Lubert Crabb pointed at the dust rising in the distance. "Judging by that, there must be quite a few people."

Daemon nodded and urged his horse onward.

After another hour of travel, Runestone finally emerged between the mountain valleys. It was a gray-black castle, its walls built from enormous cobblestones etched with faint runes. House Royce's banner flew from its highest point: a pile of stones between two rows of runes on an orange field, snapping fiercely in the wind.

And on the plain outside the castle, tents truly filled the ground. Cooking smoke rose among them and mingled with the mist from the distant mountains, like a roiling gray cloud.

"This is no reception for guests. They're clearly mustering an army," Mys Rivers said quietly, one hand unconsciously resting on the dagger at his waist.

As the party approached the castle, the guards stopped them. But when they saw Daemon's banners and Glutton and Dreamfyre circling overhead, their expressions changed at once. They hurriedly waved them through. "Lady Rhea is assembling the troops in the square. Please proceed there directly, Your Highness."

Only after entering Runestone did they truly grasp the scale of the muster.

In the square, knights inspected their armor while infantry drilled in formation. The clanging of the smithies, the shouts of commanders, and the neighing of warhorses blended together like a rough war song.

At the center of the square, an armored woman stood atop a raised platform, pointing at a map. Her armor was House Royce's distinctive bronze, covered in ancient runes that gleamed coldly beneath the sun. She was Rhea Royce, Daemon Targaryen's wife.

Two people stood beside her:

One was a hulking man clad in the same bronze armor, nearly seven feet tall, broad-shouldered and thick-backed. The runes on his armor were denser than Rhea's, and he held an enormous greatsword in one hand.

The other wore silver armor and looked to be in his teens. He had refined features and gentle eyes, though even his longsword's scabbard bore a few simple runes.

Hearing the footsteps, Rhea turned around.

Her helmet rested at one side, revealing a sharply defined face. There was no warmth in her chestnut eyes, which were like the ice of the Mountains of the Moon. "I have no time to receive Targaryen dignitaries." Her voice was colder than her armor. "The Wildlings of the Mountain Clans have risen in revolt and swept across the Vale. I have no time for idle chatter with you."

Gael instinctively shrank behind Daemon, while Mysaria clenched the hem of her skirt tightly.

Daemon's followers all looked displeased, especially Jarman Waters of Staghorn Castle. This cold-looking, one-eyed bastard was fiercely devoted to his lord. He immediately stepped forward, anger in his voice. "Then why did we see no sign of Lord Grafton gathering troops in Gulltown?"

A mocking smile touched Rhea's lips. "The nobles of Gulltown? They're nothing but merchants who know how to count coin—"

"I am William Royce, Lady Rhea's cousin." The silver-armored youth hurried forward and interrupted her. He bowed to Daemon with a gentle smile. "My lady did not mean to offend you. It is simply an urgent matter."

"Distant cousin," Rhea added coldly, with an almost imperceptible awkwardness in her tone.

William smiled helplessly and quickly continued, "This is what happened. A few days ago, the Wildlings of the Mountain Clans somehow united and openly crossed the Mountains of the Moon. They bypassed the Bloody Gate and surrounded Moon Gate Keep from the direction of New Keep. Unfortunately, Lord Yobert had taken Lady Jeyne to Moon Gate Keep to inspect its affairs. A raven arrived only the day before yesterday, calling upon the lords of the Vale to send troops to their rescue. Lady Rhea is worried and spoke too sharply. Please forgive her, Your Highness."

"William, you talk too much." The bronze-armored giant finally spoke, his deep voice like boulders rolling. "Get to the point."

William hurriedly introduced him. "This is Guncer Royce, the son of Lady Rhea's cousin. He looks stern, but he is an upright and good man."

Guncer said nothing. He merely gave Daemon a slight nod in greeting.

Looking at the somewhat awkward scene before him, Daemon suddenly felt that Rhea's inability to speak pleasantly had a certain blunt honesty to it.

He smiled, softening his tone. "No matter. Since the Vale is in trouble, as a prince of House Targaryen, I naturally cannot stand idly by. My party may be small, but Glutton may prove useful, just as he did when avenging the Arryn duke last year. I am willing to depart alongside you."

Rhea had just opened her mouth, likely intending to make another sarcastic remark, when Guncer and William clapped hands over her mouth from either side. "Mmph..." She struggled twice, then could only glare at them in silence.

From a hillside in the distance, where he rested alongside Dreamfyre, Glutton chose that very moment to breathe a burst of dragonfire into the sky above the castle.

Once released, Rhea shot William and Guncer a vicious glare, but said nothing more.

She turned and walked toward the platform, the runes on her bronze armor shifting beneath the sunlight as though faint light crawled along their patterns.

"Thank you, Your Highness!" William quickly let go and said gratefully, "With you and two dragons aiding us, the siege of Moon Gate Keep will surely be broken!"

Even Guncer gave a rare nod. "That's right." There was newfound approval in the way he looked at Daemon. Perhaps he had remembered another Daemon Targaryen, but this one was clearly more responsible than that cousin-by-marriage who had "fled back" to King's Landing.

Daemon could feel Rhea's undisguised glare and secretly laughed. No wonder that namesake great-grandfather of mine, that "cousin," could not stand her. That temper truly was like bronze that could never be warmed.

He did not dwell on it. Turning to Rayford Rosby, he said, "Have everyone rest where they are and inspect their weapons. We leave in half an hour."

"Yes, Your Highness!" Rayford accepted the order and turned away, the sound of his boots striking the stone pavement unusually distinct amid the clamorous square.

Daemon's followers immediately set to work. Colin Celtigar checked the tip of his lance, Lubert Crabb polished his sword and adjusted his armor, while Mys Rivers crouched down to wipe the longsword that was always mocked as being "better suited for cracking skulls." As for Jarman Waters, he leaned against a wall with his bow and short spear on his back, his single eye vigilantly sweeping over the Vale soldiers around them like a lone wolf ever ready to defend its master.