Chapter 164: The Clever Shagga

"Kill!!!"

Shouts of battle erupted from all directions as a swarm of soldiers emerged from the dense forest.

Erryk led the charge, his sword cleaving the head of a mountain clans man. "Leave no one behind!" he roared.

The Dragonkeepers, clad in armor, advanced valiantly. Swords and axes gleamed as they hacked through the mountain men who were too weak to resist.

In the blink of an eye, the Dragonkeepers had slashed their way through the mountain clans people's ranks, blood staining the bushes. Faced with their superior equipment and ferocity, the mountain clans men scattered like frightened birds.

"Don't run away, stand and fight!" bellowed the burly leader, raising a double-bladed axe. He smashed the heads of two Dragonkeepers and rallied a group of warriors.

Swish, swish, swish...

A shower of arrows rained down from the forest, piercing the bodies of the mountain clan mens without mercy. The burly man, startled, grabbed a warrior to shield himself from the first wave of arrows. But another wave quickly followed.

"Ah!..."

The arrows didn't target the burly man but shot down the  men who were trying to escape down the trail. Screams filled the air as they fell.

Erryk, his sword plunging through a man's chest, shouted, "The front squad pursues! Rear flank, secure the battlefield!"

"Yes!" The Dragonkeepers split into two groups. Archers fired from the shadows, picking off the enemy one by one.

Within ten minutes, the battlefield was littered with the corpses of the mountain clans tribe members.

"Ser, I have captured their leader," announced a tall soldier, dragging the burly man forward and kicking him down before Erryk.

"Bastard! Have the guts to let me go and fight alone!" the burly man spat, his face smeared with dirt.

Bang...

The tall soldier kicked him in the head. "Be honest, dumbass!"

"You piece of shit, my name is Shagga, smart Shagga!" The burly man, Shagga, cursed as he spat out more dirt.

The soldier raised his hand to strike again, but Erryk waved him off. "Trangal, I'll interrogate him myself."

"Yes!" The former Crab Claw, Trangal, stepped aside, respecting the Kingsguard.

Erryk pulled his white robe behind him, wiping his blood-stained sword. "Shagga, which Mountain Clan do you belong to?"

"Who do you think you are, daring to question the clever Shagga!" Shagga sneered defiantly.

Swish...

Erryk's long sword sliced through the air, severing one of Shagga's ears. The bloody ear fell to the ground and twitched.

"Ah! Damn you, you cut off Shagga's ear!"

Shagga screamed, clutching his head and writhing in pain. Erryk planted his boot on Shagga's neck and pressed the tip of his sword to Shagga's forehead, speaking coldly, "I'll ask you again, which Mountain Clan are you from?"

"The Stone Crow Clan, Shagga comes from the Stone Crow Clan," Shagga admitted, fear overcoming him.

Erryk continued, "The Stone Crows are a large tribe among the Mountain Clans. Are you involved in the rebellion?"

"Yes, Shagga and his two foolish brothers gathered many warriors and scattered them throughout the Vale," Shagga confessed.

"How many of you are there, and how many are involved in the rebellion?"

"The Stone Crows tribe has a thousand people. The Black Ears tribe, the Burned Men tribe, and the Painted Dogs tribe are part of ten or so tribes, adding up to tens of thousands of people."

"Then how come you only have this many people here?"

"The tribal warriors were taken by Shagga's two foolish brothers to follow the Flame Witch in her siege of the Hall of Longbows."

"Who is the Flame Witch?" Erryk frowned, suspicious of the term "witch."

Shagga, trembling, said, "A red-robed woman with a large naiad, a messenger of some god who can summon fire."

"Really?" Erryk was skeptical.

"Shagga did not lie. The Flame Witch seduced my father, and I saw her use flames to cover her weapons," Shagga replied, a mix of fear and envy in his eyes.

"Ser, is the interrogation over?" Tormund's Falcon, seeing the end of the fighting, led his team over as the Dragonkeepers continued to clear the battlefield.

Erryk mused, "Almost, but there's something unsettling about it." He glanced at the white falcon circling in the sky. Magic existed in the world, and Skinchangers, just like dragons, had their own mysterious gifts. Erryk took Shagga's words with a grain of salt.

"I will send more eyes to observe the Vale," Tormund said, wary of the trial's revelations.

"I told the truth. Can you let me go?" Shagga asked, hoping for mercy.

Erryk sneered, "Killing you degrades my sword. Get lost!"

"A wise Shagga thanks you, Tin Man." Shagga, overjoyed, ran off.

Ka-ching...

Just a dozen steps away, a double-bladed axe flew through the air, striking Shagga in the back of the head. His skull cracked, and he fell dead.

Erryk glanced at Trangal, who had thrown the axe, and asked, "Is he smart?"

Trangal scratched his head and grinned, "Obviously."

"Bury the corpses on the spot and set up camp on the hillside tonight!" Erryk ordered, sheathing his sword and glancing at the sky.

...

A few days later.

Eyrie Castle's front yard.

The Cannibal lay prostrate on the ground, allowing a servant to climb the soft ladder and secure various gift boxes. Rhaegar stood by the dragon's head, gently rubbing its muzzle. "It will be over soon, don't be angry," he murmured.

"Roar..." The Cannibal bobbed its head slightly, a low growl rumbling from its throat, showing its displeasure.

"Be patient." Rhaegar pressed his hands against the dragon's scales, smiling reassuringly.

Rhaenyra approached with light steps and asked, "Not waiting for Erryk and the others?"

"Runestone has sent a raven urging us to hurry. Jeyne needs to go ahead to help set up," Rhaegar replied. "The roads in the Vale are rugged, and with Erryk's caravan being so large, I think they were delayed on the way."

King's Landing was far from the Vale, and the mountain roads within the Vale were notoriously difficult to traverse. Rhaegar understood Erryk's delay.

"You should leave a letter for him, so he doesn't come to the Eyrie for nothing," Rhaenyra suggested, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"No need, he'll find me," Rhaegar shook his head with a confident laugh, trusting in the abilities of Erryk and Tormund. Both were key members of his inner circle, known for their bravery and insight.

After chatting for a while, the servants finished securing the gift chests, tying them to the saddle with hemp ropes. Soon after, Jeyne arrived with Jessamyn, whispering, "Ready to go?"

Rhaegar turned to see the two women in their corsets and dresses, looking poised yet different. Jeyne forced a smile, glancing nervously at the black dragon beside Rhaegar and fidgeting with her fingers. Jessamyn held her hand, looking at the Cannibal with anticipation.

Noting their emotions, Rhaenyra and Rhaegar exchanged glances and said in unison, "Of course!"

(Word count: 1,154)