After Robb followed Galon's advice and publicly announced Patrek's appointment to the King's Guard, the feast reached its peak.
Goblets clinked. Cheers echoed through the hall.
The household knights of Riverrun might still have been wary of Galon's reputation and hesitated to approach him directly with drinks.
Patrek, however, felt no such reservations.
Filled with gratitude toward Galon, he hurried forward to thank him personally.
Yet after barely managing a few words of thanks, he was pushed aside by a flood of Northern lords.
One after another, they stormed toward Galon carrying wineskins and flagons, determined to challenge him to drinking contests.
Galon accepted every challenge, displaying the hearty spirit of the North.
During the festivities, Lady Mormont grew annoyed watching Greatjon Umber, Rickard Karstark, and the others take turns trying to get Galon drunk.
Using an excuse, she came over and asked how he had won the Battle of Hornwood Mountain and the Battle of Pyke.
Before Galon could answer, his loyal follower Ron eagerly stepped forward and began recounting the stories with immense pride.
"My lord fought Victarion himself amid thousands of warriors and personally slew the commander of the Iron Fleet in single combat!"
"Even though Euron wore Valyrian armor, my lord captured him in only a few moves!"
Before leaving Pyke, Galon had instructed his trusted men not to reveal anything about "Galon Whitestaff," fearing it might create unnecessary misunderstandings.
As a result, Ron omitted the story of Euron's judgment and instead focused on the night raid at Lordsport and the bloody battle in the pine forests.
Even so, the tales left the entire hall speechless.
Countless eyes turned toward the Valyrian scale armor Galon wore—the trophy taken from Euron himself.
No one knew what to say.
Even Robb sat there staring in astonishment, clearly never imagining a war could be fought in such a fashion.
At last, Brynden Tully broke the silence.
Raising his goblet, he shouted:
"A toast to Steelfist Glover!"
Instantly, the hall erupted.
"Steelfist Glover!"
"Steelfist Glover!"
The cheers shook the room.
The feast grew even livelier.
Everyone drank.
Robb, especially, was overjoyed by Galon's arrival. Drinking heavily, he soon became thoroughly intoxicated.
Eventually, Jeyne Westerling helped him from the hall.
Thanks to his extraordinary physique, Galon's tolerance for alcohol was absurdly high.
He drank Greatjon under the table.
Then Edmure.
Then Lady Mormont.
By the end of the night, the only people still standing in the hall were Galon and Brynden, who had carefully moderated his drinking.
With most of the guests unconscious or staggering drunk, the feast finally came to an end.
Night had grown deep.
After parting ways with Brynden, Galon returned to the chamber prepared for him and fell asleep almost immediately.
In the darkest hours before dawn, while Riverrun slept beneath a blanket of silence, a black raven arrived under cover of darkness and settled among the rookery atop the maester's tower.
Because of the previous night's revelry, no one noticed. Only after sunrise did the maester discover the bird.
The moment he read its message, his face turned pale.
"This is bad..."
Without delay, he rushed to the keep and awakened Edmure, who was still recovering from the previous night's drinking.
"My lord!"
"A letter from Bolton! Stannis has arrived at Saltpans with Rickon Stark and demands a meeting with King Robb!"
Edmure's drunken haze vanished instantly.
"What?!"
Snatching the letter, he read it carefully.
Then he shouted:
"Quick! Inform His Grace and Uncle Brynden! Tell them I'll be waiting in the study!"
Without even bothering to wash properly, Edmure threw on his clothes and hurried toward the study where they had met the previous day.
Before long, Galon also received word and was summoned by Robb.
When he entered Hoster Tully's study, he found Jeyne preparing hangover remedies for everyone.
Jeyne possessed a slender figure and graceful manners.
Her brown eyes shimmered like spring water.
They remained firmly fixed upon Robb, who returned her gaze with equal devotion.
Beside Robb sat Catelyn, her face tense and worn with worry.
Clearly, she was thinking about her youngest son.
Though Brynden and Edmure opposed Robb's marriage to Jeyne, both men remained perfectly courteous in her presence.
"Lord Glover, you arrived just in time." Jeyne smiled warmly. "This cup of restorative milk is for you."
She instructed a servant girl to pour him a drink resembling warm milk.
"You have my thanks, Lady Westerling."
Galon smiled politely.
His gaze lingered briefly on her graceful figure, and a strange thought crossed his mind.
'So this is the woman who completely captivated Robb.'
'She certainly has her advantages.'
'By now, her mother, Lady Sybell, has probably already begun conspiring with Tywin.'
'She's likely plotting against Robb even as we speak.'
'Should I intervene now...?'
Suppressing the thought, Galon took his seat beside Brynden.
"What happened?"
No one answered immediately.
Instead, all eyes shifted toward Jeyne.
Understanding at once, she stepped beside Robb, whispered a few words into his ear, then quietly departed with her attendants.
She thoughtfully closed the door behind her.
"Lord Glover, read the letter first."
Brynden handed over the message.
Galon accepted it.
After a single glance, his expression turned serious. "Stannis wishes to meet His Grace? And he has Rickon with him?"
He read the words aloud softly.
Inside, however, his thoughts exploded into turmoil.
'The story has changed.'
'In the original timeline, Stannis should have received news of the wildlings attacking Castle Black and sailed north after Davos convinced him.'
'Instead, he's come to Saltpans and wants to meet Robb.'
'Is he planning the same scheme? Kill Robb and use Rickon to control the Northern armies?'
Galon frowned deeply.
'But even if Robb dies, how can Rickon alone command the alliance? Unless Melisandre has some other magical method of control...'
Information raced through his mind as he tried to piece together Stannis's intentions.
Across the table, Robb finally broke the silence.
"Bolton says Stannis arrived at Saltpans with his fleet and demands a meeting at the Trident crossing. He claims it concerns the future of the realm.
What do you think he means?"
Edmure answered first.
"What else could it mean? Stannis was crushed at the Blackwater. If he refuses to bend the knee, then cooperation with us is his only option."
He glanced toward Galon.
"I think we should hear him out—"
"No!"
Catelyn cut him off immediately.
She turned toward Robb, terror plainly written across her face.
"Robb, you must not go!"
"Absolutely not!"
Looking around the room, she tried to force her fear upon everyone present.
"You weren't there. But I saw it with my own eyes."
"At Storm's End, Renly... Renly was murdered right in front of me by a creature made entirely of shadow."
"That was Stannis's sorcery!"
"He isn't coming to negotiate. He's coming to kill you!"
Her words crashed into the room like a boulder thrown into still water.
The temperature itself seemed to drop.
Robb, Edmure, and Brynden all worshiped either the Old Gods or the Seven.
Though instinctively disturbed by tales of shadow assassins, they also found them difficult to believe.
The story sounded absurd.
Had anyone else told it, they would have dismissed it entirely.
Robb looked uncertain.
"Mother... but Rickon is in his hands."
"Just as you don't want anything to happen to me, I can't abandon Rickon. He's my brother. I have to save him."
"Rickon..."
Pain flashed across Catelyn's face.
"No. It's a trap, Robb!"
She stood abruptly.
"Stannis is a cold, merciless man! He's using Rickon as bait to force your submission!
If you refuse to kneel, he'll use that shadow assassin... He'll kill you just as he killed Renly!"
Robb's resolve wavered.
"Perhaps... Renly was an exception."
He did not want to believe it. Or perhaps he could not afford to.
Once magic became real, the war ceased to be a contest of swords and strategy.
It became something far more frightening.
At last, Brynden intervened.
"Catelyn. Calm yourself."
He looked around the room.
"You say Stannis commands shadow assassins. Then why did he lose at the Blackwater?
Why didn't he simply murder Joffrey and walk into King's Landing?"
Catelyn froze.
"I... I don't know."
"But Uncle Brynden, you didn't see what I saw..."
She struggled to convince him that Stannis possessed some terrible magical power.
Meanwhile, Galon had finally reached his own decision.
'No matter what Stannis is planning, we should meet him first.'
'I possess the Old Gods' protection. Even if Melisandre attempts magic, I can stop it.'
His mind settled.
Then he spoke aloud.
"Unless Stannis's sorcery has severe limitations... Limitations that prevented him from using it at King's Landing."
Everyone turned toward him.
Waiting.
But instead of continuing immediately, Galon handed the letter back to Brynden.
"Other than this letter, do we have any additional information?"
"No."
Brynden shook his head.
"The raven arrived last night, but because of the feast nobody discovered it until this morning."
Galon nodded.
"Then arguing about whether Stannis possesses magic is meaningless."
He rose slowly and looked around the room.
"Whether he has it or not, our plans cannot stop.
We know only the result of the Blackwater. We know nothing of how it happened.
We need information. Through Stannis, we can learn the true situation in King's Landing.
The Lannister-Tyrell alliance is powerful, but they just fought a major battle. They cannot march north immediately.
This is our best opportunity.
If we remain cowering in the Riverlands, we only give them more time to prepare."
He paused briefly.
Then gave his answer.
"Rather than hiding, we should use this chance to learn everything we can. Only by knowing both ourselves and our enemy can we hope to win.
And if Stannis truly possesses dark magic... We possess dragons."
The word dragons changed everything.
The room fell silent.
Amid the chaos of Galon's arrival, everyone had nearly forgotten them.
Robb leaned forward.
"There really are dragons on Skagos?"
Galon nodded.
"If the Skagosi spoke truthfully, dragons have likely lived there for a very long time."
The atmosphere shifted immediately.
After a long pause, Robb asked, "Did you obtain the magic needed to control them from Euron?"
Galon nodded again.
Too many people had seen the dragon horn.
There was no point denying it.
"A horn. That's what I obtained. But I don't know whether it truly controls dragons."
He continued:
"With war looming, we have no time to verify it.
The horn is enormous. Bringing it to the Riverlands would only create complications.
So I left it on Pyke under Asha Greyjoy's protection."
Brynden frowned.
"What if the Greyjoys bypass us and seize control of the dragons themselves?"
"They can't."
Galon had anticipated this concern long ago.
"Leaving aside how they would even reach Skagos....Without my spell, the horn is useless."
Robb blinked.
"A spell?"
Galon nodded.
"It was something I forced from Euron.
Only he and I knew it.
The horn and the spell are both required. One without the other is worthless.
I possess the spell. The Greyjoys possess the horn. Only together can they control dragons.
That arrangement is part of our alliance."
After further explanations—including the fact that sounding the horn without the proper knowledge would likely kill the user—he finally reassured everyone.
He carefully omitted the fact that the horn had already bound itself to him.
"Your Grace, dragons are too important. Until we know more, this secret should remain between us.
We're in the middle of a war. We cannot afford unnecessary complications."
Brynden nodded firmly.
"Lord Glover is right.
We don't have the manpower to investigate dragons right now.
Instead of hiding in Riverrun, we should seize Harrenhal while the Lannisters are distracted by their alliance with the Tyrells.
Then follow the second strategy from yesterday and gradually destroy them piece by piece."
His eyes brightened.
"Robb, I'll accompany you. I'll meet with Stannis in your place. If he truly possesses magic, he'll target me instead."
Galon shook his head.
"I should accompany His Grace.
Riverrun needs Lord Brynden to defend it in case the Lannisters move from the Golden Tooth."
Brynden prepared to argue.
But Robb raised a hand.
"No. Riverrun needs you more than anyone, Great-Uncle.
As for Galon, he has fought battle after battle and marched all the way here. He needs rest.
So both of you will remain at Riverrun. When the time comes, I'll send for you."
Regarding Stannis, Robb drew a deep breath.
"I am the king."
"I'm the one who should meet him."
"If he wants cooperation, good. If not, I'll rescue Rickon by force."
Catelyn tried one final time.
"But the shadow assassin—"
Robb interrupted.
"Mother, as Galon said, even if Stannis possesses dark magic, it must have limits.
When I go to the Trident crossing, I'll bring every blessing the gods can provide."
Seeing his mind was made up, Catelyn finally relented.
"Then I'll accompany you. After I know you're safe, I'll travel to the Vale and seek Lysa's aid."
When Robb declared that Galon should remain behind to rest, Galon's eyes flickered slightly.
In truth, Robb was right.
His soldiers desperately needed time to recover.
Still, as a precaution, he added, "Your Grace, take Harlaw's men with you. They are experienced sailors."
"They may prove useful."
Robb nodded.
Then he stood.
Drawing his sword, he struck its point against the floor. The sharp sound rang through the room.
The uncertainty in his eyes vanished, replaced by renewed determination.
"Then it's settled!"
Thus, the final strategy was decided.
Robb would personally lead the main Northern host, accompanied by Rodrik's Ironborn contingent, to meet Stannis at the Trident crossing.
Afterward, regardless of the outcome, the army would march south and seize Harrenhal with overwhelming force.
Catelyn would accompany Robb to the crossing before departing through the Bloody Gate to seek an alliance with Lysa Arryn.
Galon and the experienced Blackfish, Brynden Tully, would remain behind at Riverrun with part of the army.
Edmure received the most critical task of all:
To issue summons throughout the Riverlands in the name of Riverrun, gathering every available soldier to support the coming campaign for Harrenhal.
The war council ended.
Riverrun, the sleeping machine of war, roared back to life.
At the same time, Bolton's messenger continued riding from Harrenhal toward King's Landing.
As he passed the great ruined fortress, he briefly crossed paths with two weary travelers moving in the opposite direction.
One of them was none other than the former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Barristan Selmy.
The realm was accelerating toward a future none of its players had anticipated.
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