Bolton?
It was actually Roose Bolton?
How could it be Roose Bolton?
For a moment, an expression of utter disbelief flashed across the faces of all the lords.
They could not understand how the traitor within their ranks could be Roose Bolton.
Some even looked at Kevan with furious skepticism.
"Ser Kevan, you are a man of high standing in the Seven Kingdoms.
Do you really think we will believe you when you use such underhanded methods to slander Lord Bolton?"
Wylis Manderly of White Harbor furrowed his brows deeply, his voice filled with mistrust.
After all, on the night King Robb died, Bolton had behaved in every way like a loyal servant of the North.
It was difficult for Manderly and the others to take Kevan at his word.
"Slander?"
Kevan let out a mocking laugh.
A trace of chagrin even surfaced on his blood-stained face.
It was unclear whether he was reflecting on his own foolishness for listening to Bolton and attacking the Northern coalition, only to end up in this miserable state.
"Lord Manderly, do you think I have any reason to slander Bolton at this point?"
His gaze swept over the many lords before finally settling on Galon. He spoke with a playful sneer.
"Lord Glover, let me speak plainly.
The reason I am here is because the man you call the most loyal bannerman in the North, lord Roose Bolton of the Dreadfort, personally sent someone to deliver a letter to me!"
These words were like an explosion inside the silent tent.
"What?!"
"Nonsense!"
"Impossible, this must be a Lannister lie!"
The lords fell into an uproar, their eyes filled with shock and suspicion as they stared at Kevan.
"A lie?"
Kevan sneered, looking back at those who questioned him.
"Even Bolton can see which way the wind is blowing, yet you choose to blind yourselves?
Fine, let me make things even clearer for you.
You all know that Lady Margaery of House Tyrell has married King Joffrey, and Princess Myrcella has been betrothed to Prince Trystane Martell of Dorne.
Stannis killed Renly, and following his defeat, the vassals of House Baratheon have sworn fealty to the Iron Throne once more.
Right now, the King has dispatched Lord Baelish to the Vale.
Once Lady Lysa pledges her loyalty to the Iron Throne, you will have nowhere left to run!"
The more Kevan spoke, the more confident he became.
In contrast, the expressions of the Riverrun and Northern lords grew increasingly grim.
Galon remained indifferent to Kevan's opening words, but when he heard that Littlefinger was heading to the Vale, his eyes flashed.
A faint idea began to form in the depths of his mind.
However, before he could think it through, Kevan's mocking voice interrupted his train of thought.
"The moment Robb Stark died, Roose Bolton realized that the cause of the North was lost.
That is why he sent a messenger to me, offering his submission to the Iron Throne.
In his letter, he made it perfectly clear:
To become the new Warden of the North, he was willing to use your lives as his price of admission!"
Kevan rolled his eyes, making no attempt to hide his malice.
"And you, Lord Glover! Bolton particularly hoped to use my hands to wipe out the stubborn Stark loyalists among you.
Then, under the guise of Edmure's wedding, he planned to slaughter you and the rest of the survivors.
That way, Bolton would face no more threats in the North!"
He stared at Galon, who still maintained his composure, and thought of his recent crushing defeat, letting out a cold snort.
"If not for your sudden appearance, Lord Glover, I would have broken them long ago.
Bolton's plan was mostly successful, but in the end, it fell short."
Despite Kevan's failure and frustration, no one in the tent mocked him.
Instead, a deathly silence fell over the room.
Every lord present was struck with terror by the political reality and the conspiracy revealed in Kevan's words.
"The Lions, the Roses, the Stags, the Sun and Spears, and the Falcons of the Vale! Gods, can we truly fight against such an alliance?"
The faces of the Riverlands lords turned as dark as coal.
Their hearts wavered violently as they began to consider the possibility of defecting to the Iron Throne.
Galon watched them, and his heart sank.
'The Riverlands had always been ravaged by various factions, so they often chose submission to preserve themselves when facing an overwhelming force.'
'Right now, Kevan's words had shaken their resolve. He needed to find a way to stabilize them.'
With this thought, he turned his attention back to the Northern lords.
While they were equally worried about the grand strategy, they were far more focused on the treacherous Bolton.
They remembered Bolton's unusually calm reaction after the death of King Robb, and they recalled his reasonable military arrangements.
In this single moment, all the suspicious details connected perfectly.
"Bolton! That treacherous, flaying bastard!"
"I will kill that oathbreaker!"
"We will raze the Dreadfort to the ground!"
A furious, booming voice erupted. Greatjon Umber was the first to react.
Panting heavily, he slammed his fist onto the council table, causing the items placed upon it to rattle and fall.
The flames of hatred were instantly ignited.
The entire tent became wild and chaotic, as if a jar of wildfire had been set ablaze.
"Kill him!"
"Hang that oathbreaking flayer from a tree!"
"Damn it, I knew the flayers were not to be trusted! Let us march on the Twins together and avenge the dead!"
Facing the angry clamor of the crowd, Galon stood still.
A shocked expression appeared on his face at just the right moment, making it seem as though he was hearing this for the first time as well.
Yet, within his mind, countless thoughts were spinning rapidly.
'This is a great opportunity. I can channel the despair caused by Kevan's words into hatred for the traitors.'
'This way, I can use their anger toward Bolton to buy some time to think of a solution.'
'But just one Bolton is not enough!'
The name Frey flashed through Galon's mind, and he made a decision.
He wanted to use the Twins to drag the Riverlands lords into the depths with them.
At the very least, he could not allow them to stand aside and harbor dangerous thoughts.
"Ser Kevan, do you mean to say that House Frey was also involved in this?"
Galon raised his voice, temporarily suppressing the anger of the others.
"King Stark broke his marriage pact. How could a petty old man like Walder Frey swallow such an insult?
Furthermore, since Bolton intended to use Edmure's wedding to eliminate the rest of you, he naturally required the full cooperation of the Twins!"
Watching the furious Northern lords, Kevan was glad to see the potential for internal strife within the coalition, so he hid nothing and revealed everything Bolton had plotted.
"As expected, the Freys are in on it too!"
"Lord Bolton even married old Walder's granddaughter. The two of them must have been working together from the very beginning!"
"Those wretched Freys, I knew they wouldn't let it go!"
"A bunch of backstabbing cowards! I swear I will kill them all!"
"Kill them and avenge our fallen lords!"
Now, even the Riverlands lords began to curse House Frey with bitter hatred, looking ready to slaughter every last one of them.
Patrek Frey, who had been a member of the King's Guard, shrank into a corner with a pale face as he listened to the angry curses around him.
He feared nothing more than being noticed. He lamented his terrible luck.
When Roose escorted Edmure north to the Twins, Black Walder had left the camp at the Crossing without dropping a word to him, whether intentionally or accidentally.
As a result, Patrek and several other guards had remained behind to guard Robb's body.
Hearing the conspiracy between Frey and Bolton now, his terror was beyond words.
'What should I do? If they think I was part of this, will they kill me too? Should I find a chance to escape first?'
While he scrambled for a way out, Galon saw that the time was ripe.
Standing in the center of the tent, he spoke in a tone heavy with grief and indignation.
"So that is how it is.
The reason we lost so many men was not because we lacked courage, but because we were betrayed by our own from the very start!
All the losses, all the blood spilled in this war, should be laid squarely at the feet of those two traitors, Roose Bolton and old Walder Frey!
I swear by the Old Gods and the First Men that I will kill these two men and avenge the dead!"
His words successfully transformed the shame of their near-defeat into a towering wave of hatred toward the traitors.
"Revenge!"
"We must execute the oathbreakers!"
"Put the Dreadfort and the Twins to the sword!"
The lords were filled with righteous fury, wishing they could draw their swords and hunt down the two traitors immediately.
Kevan watched the scene unfold, feeling thoroughly pleased.
'Fight amongst yourselves.'
'Once you are both bloodied and broken, we Lannisters can swoop in and take the Riverlands and the North with ease.'
While he was celebrating silently, Galon used his authority to suppress the chaos once more.
"Quiet!"
As the shouting gradually died down, he looked around at everyone and analyzed the situation calmly.
"Vengeance must be had, but not right now. Lord Edmure is still in their hands. We cannot act rashly, lest we put his life in danger."
These words caused the excited Riverlands lords to calm down.
They turned to look at Galon again, unable to resist asking for guidance.
"Lord Glover, what do you think we should do now?"
"We will follow your lead!"
"Yes, according to King Stark's final decree, you are our supreme commander. Whatever you say, we will do!"
Galon smiled faintly but did not answer immediately. Instead, he turned his gaze to Kevan.
"Someone untie Ser Kevan. Take him back and ensure he is well accommodated."
As Tywin's brother, Kevan deserved honorable treatment even as a prisoner. This was an unwritten rule of war among the nobility.
After all, no one could guarantee they would always win.
Unless dealing with a blood enemy or an unruly person like Joffrey, losers were generally accorded the respect due to their rank.
Galon had no intention of breaking this rule.
The soldiers who had brought Kevan forward stepped up, untied his hands, and prepared to lead him away.
Kevan rubbed his wrists, gave Galon a deep look, and turned to leave.
Yet, just as he was about to step out of the tent, he suddenly stopped and spoke words that surprised everyone present.
"Lord Glover, you must understand the reality of the situation.
Relying solely on the North and the Riverlands, you cannot possibly hold out against us forever."
Kevan stared intently at Galon.
He had realized Galon's unique position among these men, so he decided to offer terms openly in front of everyone.
"If you swear fealty to the Iron Throne now, I promise you will replace the Starks as the new Warden of the North.
Furthermore, everything that happened before will be forgiven.
What do you say?"
The expressions of many Northern and Riverlands lords changed instantly, and they subconsciously looked toward Galon.
Galon looked back at Kevan, remained silent for a moment, and then let out a disdainful laugh.
"Ser Kevan, I respect you as an honorable knight of the Seven, which is why I have treated you with courtesy.
But what do you take me for?"
Without waiting for Kevan's reply, he looked around the room, his voice booming like thunder.
"My house has served the Starks for generations.
King Robb treated me as a brother, and Lord Eddard betrothed his beloved daughter to me.
With such overwhelming kindness bestowed upon me, if I do not think to repay it, how am I any different from a beast?"
Galon spoke with absolute righteousness, his sharp eyes fixed on Kevan, forcing the older man to look away.
"Now, the bastard Joffrey has murdered Lord Eddard, and King Robb has been assassinated by treacherous cowards.
In this time of peril, I shall lay down my life to defend the North and House Stark.
Ser Kevan, you must know the words of House Glover: Blood Casts Deep Roots. A Glover knows only to stand and die; we do not retreat.
How could I ever betray the North for my own gain like that flayer?"
Galon's impassioned speech left the Northern and Riverlands lords deeply moved.
Their eyes were filled with admiration and trust as they looked at him.
Greatjon could not restrain his emotions and was the first to speak out.
"Well said! From this day forth, in the name of the Old Gods, House Umber stands ready to obey the Lord Protector and swear eternal fealty to Winterfell!"
With that, he drew his greatsword, placed it before Galon, and sank to one knee.
Lady Maege followed immediately, placing her weapon at Galon's feet and speaking solemnly.
"House Mormont of Bear Island is also ready to obey the Lord Protector!"
Following the submission of the Umbers and Mormonts, the lords of Karstark, Cerwyn, Tallhart, Hornwood, and White Harbor all drew their swords and knelt one after another.
"House Karstark!"
"House Tallhart!"
"House Cerwyn!"
"House Hornwood!"
"White Harbor!"
The Northern lords spoke in unison: "In the name of the Old Gods, we stand ready to obey the Lord Protector and swear eternal fealty to Winterfell!"
In an instant, the morale that had been shattered by Robb's death and disrupted by Bolton's conspiracy was gathered once more under Galon's banner.
Though the Riverlands lords did not kneel, their expressions showed complete trust in him.
Watching this scene, Kevan's eyes held a mixture of admiration, praise, and wariness.
In the end, he could only sigh inwardly, turning to let the soldiers lead him away.
As he walked, he thought to himself.
'There are loyal ministers in the North.'
'It seems Tyrion was right; Glover is indeed the greatest threat to House Lannister.'
'I must find a way to notify Tywin to prepare as soon as possible.'
Faced with the kneeling Northern vassals, a subtle smile touched Galon's eyes.
He knew his performance had completely won these people over.
'Next, as long as I take the Twins and kill Bolton, the North and the Riverlands will be entirely in my hands.'
'Combined with the Iron Islands, even if the Lannisters are strong, I will have the power to wage war against them!'
Shifting his thoughts, he quickly said, "My lords, please rise. I do not deserve such high honor!"
Once the Northern lords had risen, Galon's gaze swept over the Riverlands lords before he spoke seriously.
"With the enemy before us, I will forgo any further pleasantries. Let us get straight to the point."
As his voice fell, the tent became dead silent. Everyone waited for Galon to speak.
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