"Game of Thrones: The New King": word-of-mouth explosion, rave reviews!
"Tell the generals who are leading the troops that after dawn, I will kneel down in front of the formation and accept the surrender request from Mace·Tyrell."
--In front of the two armies, Lord of Highgarden knelt down and surrendered to Starpike Earl.
Doing what I say is my forbearance... chivalry.
Titus Regardless of whether the other party is willing, or he is captured by his troops and has to compromise...
Since he made his condition known to everyone on that hilltop, the other party had no second choice.
Early the next morning.
The sun pierces the mist and shines on the messy plain.
The same morning sun, the same mist, the Reach people who were still showing off their power the morning before were beaten into dogs after one night.
In the former military camp of the Southern Border Army, there was deathly silence at the moment.
The broken lance was stuck diagonally on the scorched earth; the fallen flag was soaked in an unknown dark red and drooped feebly in the breeze.
The scattered weapons and coagulated bloodstains told of the one-sided massacre last night.
The former army led by Highgarden had been almost wiped out, either killed on the spot or taken prisoner. Even the once arrogant Lord of Highgarden and several lords close to House Tyrell were all captured without help.
The former commander-in-chief of the Southern Border Army - Mace·Tyrell was escorted by two guards from the black Earl guard to the front of the formation.
He had been forced to remove his armor, his green brocade clothes were stained with a lot of dust and blood, and most of his golden cloak was torn apart, hanging behind him like a tattered rag.
Mace's face has long since lost the "full majesty" that he used to forcefully put on it, leaving only fatigue and decadence, and his eyes were both unwilling and frightened.
From the moment he was captured, he has never been able to see Titus·Peake.
--The commander-in-chief who enjoyed the victory in advance had already sent word that he would personally accept his surrender in front of the battle line in the morning.
Mace could no longer be stubborn. He comforted himself repeatedly in his heart: This was just a failure in the war. The Southern Border Army was in defeat. Surrender was the only option.
I am not bowing my head to Peake, but I am bowing my head to Iron Throne, Robert I, and expressing my surrender to the new dynasty...
As High Steward of the Reach and Warden of the South, protecting the family and preserving the southern border are the most important things!
After self-hypnosis countless times, Mace finally suppressed the humiliation in his heart and raised his head in confusion, thinking that he was ready to face everything.
"Bring it up."
A female voice came from the front.
Mace recognized that the woman giving the orders was the commander of the other party's Earl guard.
Yesterday, it was that woman who captured herself from the horse.
Under the supervision of two guards, Mace was forced to walk step by step towards the location of the horse Black Steed.
Titus took off his helmet as usual, sat upright on Black Pearl, and watched Lord Puff Fish approaching with playful eyes.
On his left and right sides, he was surrounded by his generals who had returned from victory:
Pioneer officer Simon Temperton is holding a spear, with a few drops of blood on his armor. The Ninestars knight is one of the greatest contributors to the Southern Expedition's overnight achievements, and the reputation of the Canyon Knight will surely shock the Southern Territory.
Roose Bolton's face was no longer so pale, and he showed a rare trace of blood. No one dislikes victory. This was even more true when he captured the heir of Hightower - the captured Baelor·Hightower was also here, and he was witnessing it dejectedly.
Karhold's Rickard·Karstark was even more emotional. This distant relative of Stark even grinned from the corner of his mouth to the back of his head.
At the closing meeting hosted by Black Earl himself, Roose had promised Rickard that the ransom for Sir Baelor and his named knights would be divided among the three parties who fought on the enemy's flank last night, which was a huge amount of money.
Gulian Sven's face was full of pride. He felt very good about himself for his record of "forcing Goldengrove Earl to retreat" in an instant.
Storm's End's acting city lord Stannis Baila Theon also stood on one side, looking at the former Siegebreaker leader with complicated eyes.
Behind a few people were soldiers from the Southern Expeditionary Army. They formed a neat square formation and watched this historic scene with burning eyes.
Everyone's eyes were focused on Lord of Highgarden Mace·Tyrell, and the air nearby seemed to be filled with some kind of depressing solemnity.
Mace took a deep breath, looked at Hei Earl who was sitting on the horse without saying a word, looking down at him quietly, and then glanced at the generals on the left and right and the large group of soldiers in the rear, and hesitated in place for a moment.
The pride and dignity we once had were shattered into powder in the face of reality.
He slowly bent his knees, his right knee touched the grass, his head was lowered deeply, and his voice after "staying up late" was a little hoarse, but very clear:
"I, Mace of House Tyrell, on behalf of the Southern Border Army and also on behalf of the Reach, surrender to Iron Throne... and solemnly swear here that I will spend my whole life loyal to His Majesty Robert I, loyal to House Baratheon, and never betray."
After the words fell, the scene fell into silence.
A duke is kneeling to another Earl.
What is even more dramatic is that the identity relationship between the two was once a prince and his vassals.
This is an extremely rare scene in the entire history of Seven Kingdoms, and it actually happened in front of everyone at this moment.
The generals of the Southern Expedition had smiles of satisfaction on their faces, and many of them straightened up their chests, filled with pride.
This is what it feels like to use war to conquer your opponents and trample your enemies.
Even if he is as noble as a Duke, his aura will disappear after defeat... This feeling is so wonderful that it is worth savoring.
Mace was facing Titus... or, in other words, facing Titus's beloved horse, maintaining a humiliating kneeling posture. A deep sense of shame surged in his heart, but he forced himself to remain calm.
He is waiting for Peake's response, and also waiting for this terrible ceremony to end as soon as possible.
What he was waiting for was a burst of deep laughter.
Titus stroked Black Pearl's horse mane, slowly leaned over, and his eyes were like knives and spears, piercing Mace's last psychological defense line.
"No, you misunderstood."
Titus·Peake's voice carried an unabashed joking that clearly spread throughout the audience, "You are just surrendering to yourself, Mace."
Mace's body stiffened and his heart skipped a beat.
"As a prisoner, you can no longer represent the Southern Border Army."
The Commander-in-Chief straightened up and continued his gentle words, which fell like ice and frost in the ears of the kneeling Duke.
"What you are kneeling on now is not Iron Throne, not Robert I, nor is it the new House Baratheon..."
The corners of Black Earl's mouth revealed a cruel arc.
"... but I am the one who won the war and captured you alive!"
What?
Mace raised his head suddenly, his eyes filled with disbelief and confusion.
His mind was buzzing, and the words of the commander-in-chief of the Southern Expedition Army across from him were like thunder, exploding his mind to pieces.
The Duke has been comforting himself. He expressed his surrender to Iron Throne, but in the end, he knelt down to his former subordinates?
A huge sense of shame instantly flooded his mind, and Mace felt that the gazes of everyone around him turned into sharp sarcasm, which stabbed him to pieces.
He tried to stand up, but his legs were weak, his eyes were spinning, and all kinds of emotions were tumbling violently in his chest.
With a "pop" sound, Mace fell straight to the ground and fainted on the spot.
Titus put away his smile, his eyes calmed down, he waved his hand and said calmly:
"Bring our Lord of Highgarden down, keep a close eye on him and entertain him well."
Two Earl guards immediately stepped forward, lifted up the unconscious Mace, and carried him away from the place.
Roose Earl said softly, "My lord, is this going too far? Mace·Tyrell is Warden of the South after all. Maybe he is still needed to subdue the remaining southern border army?"
"We won't need him anymore. Allister Florent will take care of everything for us."
Titus also responded softly:
"I have made an appointment with him. Before noon today, a ceremony will be held on the hilltop where the talks were held the day before yesterday. Brightwater Keep Earl will formally surrender to us on behalf of the remaining members of the Southern Border Army."
Dreadfort Earl was very surprised.
He had guessed who the Commander-in-Chief's "secret son" was, but he never expected that the other party's status would be so high.
And such an important figure in the enemy's formation was secretly communicating with the commander-in-chief of their Southern Expeditionary Army. It can only be said that Lord Mace did not lose unjustly.
Stonehelm Earl also echoed:
"After this battle, the Southern Border Army no longer has the intention or strength to resist. With Allister Earl coming forward, he will definitely cooperate with our army and bring the Reach back into House Baratheon's territory."
Titus nodded in approval and looked further in the direction of Highgarden.
I thought that the fate of the Reach was mostly settled. Just one Queen of Thorns from the Redwyne family can't stir up troubles.
In this war, he not only won victory, but also gained authority.
The Duke's kneeling Earl is not only an insult to the former, but also a testament to the latter's glory and climbing the ladder.
Mace's humiliating kneeling will surely become a widely circulated laughing stock among the Seven Kingdoms aristocratic group, and will also serve as a warning to all those who dare to go against him.
From now on, no one will really treat the head of the Peake family as "Earl".
Titus chatted with Stannis who led the troops out of the city last night to assist in the battle. He patted his shoulder and praised the second son of Baila Theon for his choice of fighter planes last night.
He had heard what Roose said, and it was only with the help of Storm's End's soldiers that they disrupted the retreating formation of Hightower's troops, so that the soldiers of the Dreadfort had a chance to capture Baelor·Hightower alive.
In addition to sticking to the achievements of Storm's End, Stannis·Baila Theon has made great contributions.
The young Sir Stannis also thanked Titus Earl for his two rescues from Storm's End.
One was to relieve the problem of lack of food, and the other was to relieve the siege of his family fortress.
Noon has not yet arrived.
It's still that nameless hilltop... maybe after this battle, this place will have a new name like Riverlands's Bent Knee Inn.
I hope it's not a "fishing slope"... He doesn't like wearing helmets the most.
There are still the same number of representatives of the Southern Expeditionary Army, oh, there is also an additional friend Stannis·Baila Theon.
The Southern Border Army on the other side changed from four to two.
Two major lords who had not engaged in an in-depth battle with the Southern Expeditionary Army and had not been captured—Alister Florent and Matus Rowan—came to attend the meeting.
As soon as they reached the top of the mountain, Florent's smile never stopped, and his old face bloomed like a rose; Goldengrove Earl who followed him returned to his old-fashioned self.
Starpike Earl A promise is worth a thousand dollars.
Brightwater Keep Earl's treatment here is much better than that of Lord of Highgarden.
This distant relative of House Peake, the lord, was quite happy and surrendered while standing.
The Golden Rose bows his head: