Jon Snow's Outrageous Demands [Please Bookmark and Follow]

The maester traveling with the army quickly treated the white-haired woman's wounds.

Jon stood to one side and watched.

He noticed that the white-haired woman seemed to have many flame patterns tattooed on her body.

One of them even looked rather like a pair of wings.

He filed that pattern away for the moment, then asked the woman named Kuno what exactly the "treasure" she had mentioned was.

"It's... it's warriors. Uh, I mean an army. An army, m-my lord."

Kuno stammered, clearly not skilled at lying.

Jon clearly remembered her mentioning something that had "already vanished from the entire world."

But he did not press Kuno. Instead, he followed her lead and asked what this so-called army was about.

Seeing that she had "fooled" him, Kuno's tense body relaxed slightly.

It turned out that the warriors Tyrion had taken away back then only made up about half of the entire Moon Mountains.

Nearly half the tribes had not allied with them.

Kuno said that if Jon needed an army, she and her tribe could act as intermediaries and recruit more men for him.

Of course, Jon would have to offer suitable rewards to win those people over.

Jon knew she was not telling the truth.

But there were still many battles ahead. If he really could raise another army, that would naturally be a good thing.

The Moon Mountains were not particularly far from them, so making a trip there would not be much trouble.

He ordered someone to keep watch over the white-haired woman and Kuno. If they had the time, they could make a trip to the Moon Mountains.

As for the so-called treasure, Jon was confident that with [Gods' Eye], he would not fail to find it if he truly went looking.

Early the next morning, Jon received word from Roose Bolton—Tywin had agreed to meet with them.

After the two met, Roose Bolton said calmly,

"Jon, Tywin has agreed to meet with us. You only need to go when the time comes."

"You jest, my lord." Jon sneered inwardly. You are the commander of our entire army. I am merely a bastard. Sending a bastard to meet a duke would make the North a laughingstock.

Jon truly did not feel at ease leaving his back exposed to the Leech Lord.

Roose Bolton said nothing, but agreed to go with Jon.

Roose Bolton said that they only needed to bring his Dreadfort retainers as guards, but Harrion strongly insisted on bringing men as well.

To be safe, they brought them all.

Roose Bolton said nothing, but it was clear that he was unhappy at being suspected.

Thus, on the open ground between the opposing northern and western armies, two groups of over a hundred men slowly approached each other.

The difference was that the northern force flew the Dreadfort's flayed man banner, Karstark's winter sun banner, and Jon's white wolf banner.

The western force, meanwhile, bore only a great red lion banner!

Jon was almost the first to spot Tyrion mixed in among the group.

Perhaps because he was mounted, he was still short, but not quite so conspicuously so.

Then there was Tywin beside Tyrion.

The Duke of Casterly Rock, broad of build and already bald, sat tall in the saddle with an imposing air.

The Mountain followed behind Tywin, and his shadow nearly swallowed up even the already burly Tywin.

As the distance closed, Tyrion also spotted Jon.

He could not help raising a spyglass to look, finally confirming that the one who had turned the tide that day was the bastard he had "educated" at Winterfell.

Yet Jon had changed so much that Tyrion could scarcely believe it.

If the old Jon had been filled with inferiority and isolation, then this Jon radiated confidence from head to toe.

"Is... is that really him?" Tyrion murmured.

Both sides had their attendants remain where they were, while Tywin took Tyrion forward to negotiate.

Though Jon had politely deferred to Roose Bolton before coming, there was no need for courtesy in a situation like this.

Jon naturally spoke first.

"Duke Tywin, I am Eddard's bastard, Jon Snow. I have come to discuss terms with you."

Tywin studied Jon with his green eyes, then said,

"I thought Roose Bolton was your true commander. I did not expect Robb to send you to command the army. Ser Bolton, can you truly accept such humiliation?"

Drawing on years of experience, Tywin could see that there had to be friction between Jon and Bolton.

He intended to use this opportunity to drive a wedge between them.

"Heh, an old fox is still an old fox."

Jon laughed inwardly, not angered by the other man's dismissal of him.

In business, this was merely a common little trick for provoking one's opponent.

So Jon shot back, "Still, I cannot compare to Lord Tywin. Someone played with your wife, and you did not dare make a sound."

"Jon!"

Tyrion beside him could no longer hold back. Jon was speaking of Tywin's wife—and his mother.

Tywin's face also turned cold and green. Joanna was sacred ground in his heart, beyond all violation. No one had dared speak ill of Joanna before him in many years.

"Did Eddard never teach you how to speak to nobles?" Tywin said coldly.

"I am only an uncouth bastard. Please forgive me if I have offended you." Jon sounded unconcerned.

Tyrion suddenly recalled something he had once told—or rather, advised—Jon: turn your weakness into armor, and no one could defeat you.

He had not expected Jon to master it so quickly.

After a long while, Tyrion was the one who finally spoke to ease the tension.

"I believe we came here to resolve matters. Lady Catelyn imprisoned me without evidence. If not for Ser Bronn, I likely would have died at the Eyrie. My father was merely seeking justice for me."

"Seeking justice with the blood of innocent Riverlands folk?" Jon asked. "Is that not simply bullying the weak and fearing the strong? When Robert was out bedding women, why did your father not go to the Stormlands or King's Landing to seek justice for Cersei?"

"Enough, Jon!" Tyrion spoke again.

This was one of the few times he had lost to someone in a war of words.

Fortunately, both sides finally began naming their terms.

Tywin spoke first. "I can release your father and say that he was merely misled by others, but on one condition: he must join the Night's Watch! His crime has already been committed!"

Tywin knew that if Joffrey was to sit securely on the throne, Eddard had to be removed from the board.

Sending him to The Wall was a good outcome. At the very least, it would keep Lannister and Stark from falling into an irreconcilable conflict.

"Hmph. Then my terms are these: release my father, restore his honor, and allow him to remain Hand of the King.

In addition, the City Watch of King's Landing must be replaced by northern troops, while the Master of Laws, Master of Coin, and Grand Maester must all be appointed by Winterfell.

The next king must have Stark blood.

In other words, Sansa must become queen, and her son must become king!

If she dies in childbirth, chokes on cake, dies of illness, or is struck dead by lightning, I will hold every one of you Lannisters responsible!"