-Chapter 30-

-The Next Day-

-POV Tristan-

I finished fastening the last plates of my armor and then looked at myself in the mirror that King Aegon had given me, I put on the indifferent expression I always wore when I left my home and then signaled to my guards that we were departing.

I didn't say goodbye to the prostitute who was still at my place and I wasn't worried that she might steal anything because I owned nothing of value, I had placed everything in the Royal treasury as advised by King Aegon.

As I was about to pass through the Dragon Gate to join the army I would command, a rider arrived at a gallop I didn't recognize him but judging by his dark armor he must have been an officer of the King's Dark Guard, an army he trained harder than any other, it was composed only of the elite of our forces and only answered to his command no one could deploy the Dark Guard without the king's approval.

So, I stopped respectfully because facing a messenger of the Dark Guard was like facing His Majesty King Aegon VI, the messenger dismounted and placed one foot on the ground, in his hand was a standard with at its end a gold statue of a three-headed dragon.

"His Majesty King Aegon VI has declared that hereby Tristan Sunfyre of the New Knightly House Sunfyre would be the Captain Commander of the 1st Legion and this until he decides otherwise please accept the Three-Headed Dragon of the 1st Legion, it is the present His Majesty the King makes to the 1st Legion there are currently only 2 other emblems like this"

'For Carvin and Jordy' I thought while looking at the emblem I now held in my hands.

'Who would have believed that the young boy I wanted to use as a stepping stone to become noble would knight me and grant me a family name as well as command of his army before I even fought for him'

For a moment I almost felt guilty but I quickly gathered my senses, I did nothing wrong and I didn't betray him, he rewarded me for my service and showed me unprecedented trust so I would make him prove that he made the right choice in appointing me Permanent Captain Commander of his 1st Legion.

"Thank His Majesty for me and tell him that I will carry out the task he has entrusted me with" I said before tapping my horse's sides to make it gallop, I had battles to win.

-POV Jordy-

"What have our scouts brought back?"

"Nothing more than last time, Captain-Commandant" said Corian with a smug smile.

I smiled at my friend and then said: "I know I am demanding but I don't want to disappoint King Aegon he is our king and also our friend I want him to be able to reign, I know he will be a good and just king"

The smug smile on Corian deepened and then he said sarcastically: "A just and good king"

I frowned and then said: "Are you jealous that he appointed me and not you?"

His expression changed from sarcasm to anger in less than two seconds and then he said: "I am not that kind of person, I know why King Aegon chose all of you"

"Oh really and why?"

"He chose you so that you could gauge the lords of the Crownlands and Riverlands who will join us, the Mootons and the Darrys mainly who will be extremely valuable vassals for the king, you are the most meticulous and you will smell a betrayal from allied lords the fastest, should it ever occur"

"Hmm it's not totally devoid of sense…" I said acknowledging his arguments but I didn't forget the main subject of our discussion: "Why don't you believe he will be a good and just king"

"Because he is a king every choice he makes will have heavy consequences, his intentions might be good or maybe not, but the consequences will be there, he won't always be able to make the right choice because he is a man"

"That's a very pessimistic view you have of royalty if you think that why are you fighting for him"

"Because I prefer to be on the side of the winners" said Corian more serious than ever.

'And that's the reason why you were not made Captain Commander' I thought even if I refrained from telling him so as not to offend him we needed unity and it wasn't the time to fight among ourselves over trivial matters.

I sighed deeply and moved forward more quickly so as not to have to endure Corian's whining a second longer.

-2 days later-

-POV Carvin Loreta-

Seeing Harrenhal took my breath away it was a ruin but undoubtedly the most impressive and majestic ruin I had ever seen in my life.

I didn't linger and immediately started giving my orders so we would be ready for any attack coming from the walls but to my great surprise the gates opened by themselves and an old woman stood in front of the huge walls with a few knights bearing the Coat of Arms of House Whent of Harrenhal.

We advanced at a brisk pace and I said from atop my horse: "Lady Whent, I am Carvin Lord of the Knightly House Loreta, Captain-Commandant of the 3rd Legion do you surrender?"

The old woman nodded and I did the same before entering and signaling to my men who had been properly trained in taking a castle, I didn't want anything to happen that could cause us trouble, so I had everything that could be checked for annoyance.