This praise seemed to flip a switch.
Brynden's face became devoid of all expression, and his tone grew solemn and serious: "You won the war against House Legge, a miraculous victory."
"But you are ultimately a vassal of Daedings Family."
"For this matter, Riverrun must provide a resolution that both parties can accept."
He paused, looking directly into Arthur's eyes.
Arthur nodded, offering a polite smile, but remained silent.
The Old Knight seemed surprised by his attitude and continued, "I have a suggestion for you, young man."
"Regarding the subsequent negotiations with House Legge, it would be best to conduct them in the name of Daedings Family and the House Tully."
"Let your liege lord, Lord Balon Dading, step forward. He will be happy to enjoy this victory and its fruits on your behalf, and he will make demands of House Legge alongside you."
As the Old Knight spoke, his hands began to move. He carefully started to roll up the massive map from one end.
His actions were so natural, so self-evident, as if he wasn't taking someone else's property but merely tidying up what he had brought himself.
Arthur: "
He could only maintain his polite smile, watching Brynden roll up the map and hold it tightly in his arms.
Brynden, clutching the map, turned to leave. At the doorway, he paused, looking back at Arthur one last time, lost in thought as the night wind ruffled his grey hair.
Then, he turned and walked out of the hall, his footsteps fading into the distance.
Inside the hall, Arthur's smile vanished, his gaze falling on the empty space on the table where the map had been. Why was this Old Knight so lacking in boundaries?
The night was as dark as ink, completely engulfing Willow Wood City.
There was no moon, no stars, only the cold wind circling above the city walls.
Arthur's army, like a silent tide, gathered quietly beneath the inner city wall.
All torches were extinguished, and not a single person made a sound.
Brin and Lucien stood beside Arthur. Brin made a cutting gesture across his neck, signaling whether to kill Roger Lygg.
Arthur shook his head, indicating there was no need. It would be unwise to do so in front of Riverrun's people. He was merely a dog who had lost his home. With the war over, whether he could control his vassals was questionable, and his family's lands would be difficult to recover for a hundred years.
A few torches lit up and swayed, signaling. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the signal.
Suddenly, the inner city's iron gate was pulled open from within, revealing a gap just wide enough for one person to pass through.
In the darkness, Lucien's figure was the first to rush in, his movements like a preying leopard. Behind him, a hundred chain-mailed soldiers filed in.
There were no alarms, no shouts, no resistance. The process of taking control of the gate was unsettlingly smooth.
When Lucien and his men appeared inside the inner keep, the guards there simply watched them silently, then one by one, they laid down their weapons, leaning against the wall, pressed against it.
The city gate was fully opened. Arthur walked at the forefront, and behind him were the complex-faced Brynden Tully and Robin Legge.
Brynden Tully called out to a few soldiers, telling them to clean up and bury the remains in the inner keep, to keep this matter a secret. In the Seven Kingdoms, cannibalism was a serious crime, especially for nobles; it would become a shocking scandal.
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