South of Seagard, the road leading toward Riverrun wound its way across the fertile and damp lands of the Riverlands.
This mixed army of Northmen, Ironborn, and Skagosi moved slowly across the plains like a giant serpent with mottled scales.
Yet beneath that seemingly unified body, the sounds of discordant friction never ceased.
Patrek rode slightly behind Galon, a position that allowed him to observe everything clearly.
He personally witnessed Ironborn drawing blades against a Northern patrol while crossing a small river, all over several chickens they had "borrowed" from a nearby farmstead.
Had Rodrik and Galon's captain of the guard not intervened at the same time, bloodshed would have been inevitable.
These continuous frictions, small though they were, became tiny thorns lodged in Patrek's heart.
He became increasingly convinced of the judgment he had formed at Seagard—
Lord Glover was a respectable lord, but the allies under his command were wild sea monsters that could never truly be tamed.
"Ser Patrek!"
Galon's calm voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"You know the terrain around Riverrun better than any of us."
"If the Lannisters wanted to launch a surprise attack from the west, which road do you think they would choose?"
The sudden military question immediately sharpened Patrek's attention.
He urged his horse forward until he rode side by side with Galon, then began carefully analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the various roads.
"Riverrun is surrounded by rivers on two sides, and there's also a deep moat dug on the third. Once the sluice gates are opened, it becomes an island surrounded by water on three sides..."
Galon listened with complete focus, occasionally raising one or two crucial questions.
The professionalism of those questions made Patrek realize that Galon's reputation was no exaggeration.
It also convinced him more and more that Galon's conquest of Pyke was entirely genuine.
During a pause in their discussion, Galon casually brought up another matter.
"I heard that King Robb... abandoned the marriage pact with your family and married a lady of House Westerling instead."
"And because of that, Lord Frey withdrew all troops stationed at Riverrun?"
Patrek's face immediately stiffened.
He had assumed Galon was about to mock House Frey like everyone else had.
He had already heard enough of that lately.
After a moment of silence, Patrek answered in an almost numb voice,
"Lord Walder's decisions are not for me to question."
With that, he prepared to tug his reins and move ahead to resume guiding the army.
But Galon's next words stopped him in place.
"I am not mocking you."
Galon's tone softened slightly, carrying a trace of regret.
"I simply find it unfortunate."
"For the sake of one woman, a rift was created between the North and the Riverlands' most important ally. That... is not the act of a mature king."
"A king's heart should belong first to his kingdom."
Those words were like a surgeon's blade, precisely cutting open the deepest wound hidden in Patrek's heart.
He had heard countless Northern nobles mock the Freys, saying a family reeking of coin could never be worthy of the Starks.
He had also heard secondhand accounts of Stark apologies that always ended in criticism.
But never had anyone like Galon calmly and strategically evaluated the matter from a purely political perspective.
Galon did not condemn House Frey's withdrawal. Instead, he pointed out King Robb's "immaturity."
That sense of understanding instantly shortened the distance between them.
A corner of Patrek's frustrated and unfulfilled heart softened.
In a low voice, he sighed.
"My lord, you are right. But things have already come to this. What can any of us do now?"
His words were filled with the helplessness of a minor man and anxiety over his family's future.
"The game of power is like chess. Even pawns have value."
Galon cast him a meaningful glance.
"At the very least, you have shown me that House Frey still possesses knights who remain loyal to their duties and honor."
Patrek's heart skipped violently, his eyes filling with emotion.
Yet almost immediately, as if remembering something, he silently buried that feeling deep inside himself.
"My lord, another twenty miles ahead and we'll reach Riverrun."
He looked around at the surroundings and deliberately changed the topic.
Galon nodded. After glancing at the late hour, he suddenly called out, "Increase the pace! We reach Riverrun today!"
The army immediately sped up, though it also provoked loud complaints from the Ironborn.
But by now, both Galon and Patrek had grown accustomed to it.
Just as Galon's army drew closer to Riverrun, a sudden rumbling of galloping cavalry emerged from the horizon ahead.
"Cavalry..."
Galon frowned and immediately ordered the army into formation.
Only moments later, a great cloud of dust rose upon the horizon.
An elite cavalry force was charging directly toward them.
At the front of the formation flew a massive direwolf banner snapping in the wind.
Galon's expression relaxed at once.
"It's the Stark royal banner. Looks like Riverrun has come to welcome you, my lord."
As the figures gradually approached, the young man leading the charge caused Patrek's pupils to shrink sharply.
It was Robb Stark!
He had personally led all his core bannermen out of the city, traveling ten miles just to welcome Galon's arrival.
Patrek's eyes filled with shock.
He glanced at Galon, whose expression remained calm and composed, and suddenly realized that Galon's status within the North was even higher than he had originally imagined.
Yet after thinking about it carefully, Patrek immediately understood.
'If it were me, anyone who helped me capture Pyke would be worth riding out ten miles to welcome personally.'
While Patrek muttered inwardly to himself, the two forces gradually converged.
The young King in the North reined in his horse sharply outside the army, his face filled with excitement as he observed this battle-hardened force that had achieved such astonishing victories.
Galon spurred his horse forward alongside Rodrik to meet him.
The instant Galon's eyes met Robb's, he immediately dismounted and bowed respectfully.
"Your Grace, House Glover answers your command."
Robb's face was overflowing with excitement.
Without the slightest hesitation, he leapt down from his horse, strode toward Galon, and personally helped him up.
"Galon, my good brother!"
"I knew you would never disappoint us!"
Robb's voice was filled with barely restrained joy and excitement as he pulled Galon into a firm embrace.
Behind him, the Greatjon Umber, Rickard Karstark, Lady Mormont, and the other Northern lords all revealed smiles they had not shown in a long time.
Galon's arrival was undoubtedly a powerful tonic for the Northern coalition trapped beneath the shadow of despair.
Especially after they had heard of his conquest of Pyke.
"Your Grace, this is Captain Harlaw. Queen Asha has sent him in accordance with our alliance to aid us in war."
After Robb released him, Galon turned and introduced Rodrik.
Rodrik spoke first.
"In the name of House Greyjoy, greetings to King Stark. I am Rodrik Harlaw, sent under Queen Greyjoy's command to aid your war effort."
Robb nodded steadily.
"The North and the Riverlands welcome your arrival."
Then he glanced at Galon's army and added, "Galon, Riverrun is only ten miles away. Let your troops continue there slowly while we ride ahead first."
"I'll arrange campsites and prepare everything for your army."
Galon paused briefly before agreeing.
"In that case, Your Grace, give me a moment."
After receiving Robb's approval, he immediately turned his horse around and returned to the army, ordering Ron to take command and continue leading the troops toward Riverrun.
Meanwhile, Galon himself, Rodrik, and Patrek rode ahead alongside Robb and the other nobles back toward Riverrun.
Thunderous hoofbeats rang out.
The group covered the distance in only a short time before arriving at the western drawbridge of Riverrun.
With the grinding sound of heavy chains,
the massive drawbridge slowly descended.
Robb rode across first.
At the same time, every gaze upon the walls—including Brynden Tully's—focused upon Galon riding directly behind him.
Galon raised his head slightly and noticed their burning gazes, leaving him somewhat puzzled.
'Strange... why are they looking at me like that?'
What Galon did not know was that, through numerous reports from the North, his reputation had already become thunderously famous throughout Riverrun.
Nearly everyone knew—
He was King Stark's most trusted confidant, his most valued bannerman, and the future husband of Sansa Stark.
And now, Galon had brought yet another glorious victory, greatly uplifting the morale of Riverrun's defenders.
Thus, beneath the hopeful gazes of all those eagerly awaiting salvation, Galon rode into Riverrun.
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