CHAPTER 251

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CHAPTER 251

296 AC

POV THIRD PERSON

The war council chamber echoed with heated discussions as the Vale lords gathered to deliberate their next course of action. Lord Horton Upcliff, a grizzled veteran known for his strategic acumen, spoke up,

"My Lord, I've fought alongside you for years, and I'm not one to advocate for submission. But Grafton's got a point. We can't withstand the Druid's onslaught indefinitely. Our people will suffer, and our lands will bleed. I say we consider the peace route, at least for now."

Lord Harlan Ruthermont, a fervent and proud noble, slammed his fist on the table. "Peace? Are we to bow before this mystical puppeteer? Our ancestors would roll in their graves! I won't stand for it. Let the Druid come; we'll face him with our blades high!"

Lord Jon Lynderly, known for his diplomatic finesse, offered a measured perspective. "Horton's right, and so is Harlan in his own way. We can't ignore the threat, but outright defiance might lead to our ruin. Perhaps a temporary peace while we regroup and assess our options."

As the debate unfolded, Lord Gerold Melcolm, a stalwart supporter of traditional Vale values, weighed in. "We've heard enough of this talk. My lord, WE can't taint our honor by kneeling to a sorcerer. We'll find a way to break his spells, strengthen our defenses, and protect our people. The Druid won't dictate terms to the Vale."

Eric Grafton, with a heated fervor, added,

 "We need to secure our people and lands. If that means seeking peace for a time, so be it. But make no mistake, Lord Melcolm, this should be a temporary truce. We can't allow the Druid to believe he broke us permanently." Eric couldn't understand how could they be this zealot and reckless against someone with so much power.

Jon Arryn listened intently, absorbing the varied opinions. The challenge lay in striking a balance between safeguarding the Vale's honor and ensuring the well-being of its people. The discussions continued into the night, echoing the internal struggle of the Vale itself, and finally, after two days of debate, they were coming to a conclusion.

Eric Grafton, his expression resolute, reiterated his proposal. "My Lord, we must demand the Druid release our men in Paps and withdraw his creatures from our lands. It's a necessary condition for any talk of peace. If he refuses, we'll know his intentions are not honorable."

Nods of agreement rippled through the chamber, signaling a shared understanding of Grafton's rationale. Lord Jon Lynderly, his piercing gaze fixed on Lord Arryn, added,

 "A conditional peace, then. We seek the release of our kin, and we demand the Druid keep his unnatural forces at bay while we engage in diplomatic discussions."

Jon Arryn, with a resolute voice, stated,

"I have made up my mind, as Lord Grafton counseled, that there is no way for us to recover the islands. We will preserve our forces to fight another day, and we will refuse to pay war reparations and sue for peace. As long as The Druid doesn't push us further, we cannot accept any more humiliation. If he pushed us then we have to fight for the Seven and for the Vale; we have to fight and defend them."

The war council united behind a proposal that balanced the urgency for a respite with the determination to maintain Vale's sovereignty. Some of the lords were reluctant, but they had to accept their lord's decision. Now, with a more measured voice, Jon continued,

 "We'll send emissaries bearing these terms to the Druid. If he values peace, he'll adhere to our conditions. If not, then we stand ready to face whatever comes our way. But remember, this is not the end. It's a strategic maneuver to safeguard our people and gather strength."

Lord Grafton added,

"A diplomatic approach is necessary, and we should call Lord Stark guarantor for the actions of the Druid as he is the Warden of the North. Should their side break the peace, we will have just cause to seek help from the king. Even if he is friends with Lord Stark, the protector of the realm and faith, he would have no choice but to call for his banners against the Druid. At that time, we would be able to see Lord Stark's stance against the Druid clearly."

...

It had been five days since they had sent word to Lord Stark and Lord Drasil, but the news did not only come from the North but also the South. Jon Arryn called for his Lords again. The news this time was grave. He told them what had happened. Eric Grafton slammed his fist to the table,

"I knew something was wrong; this is definitely the work of the Druid."

Lord Arryn said,

"We cannot prove it, this says."

He showed another message,

" Drasil is coming from the Sisters with Lord Stark, and they will be arriving on the morrow. The Druid was seen on the island too. This doesn't make sense, and he couldn't have reached the Sisters in one day and come back here in that amount of time, even if he could fly. No bird can fly that fast, not even a dragon."

Eric Grafton said in an angry voice,

"This is too much for a coincidence. He just happens to imprison our men right as the mountain clans stage an uprising."

Jon sighed and continued,

"Even if he is responsible, he covered his tracks well. We have no way of proving it was he who caused this uprising. I am curious why we haven't gotten any news of this until now. According to this message, all of this happened a week ago; we should have had news of this five days ago."

Jon turned to Vale lords and said,

"As you have heard this morning, I have dispatched the bulk of our men to the Vale of Arryn in case of another attack and put every castle on high alert. I have ordered them to triple their patrols in every area. We cannot be hit unprepared again."

Lord Horton Upcliff said,

"It looks like that Druid is more audacious than we have ever imagined; he had looted and burned all our harvest. Isn't he getting ready for an invasion?" You could see all the lords from Vale of Arryn were brimming with rage over the loss they had endured.

Eric Grafton shook his head,

"No, if he was, he would have come alone, not with Lord Stark. We still have 5 thousand men here. He might be able to run, but he definitely can't take Lord Stark with him, and I don't think he will endanger him like that; he must be planning something else."

...

Olena Tyrell was in the famous rose gardens of Highgarden; she was trimming the roses. It was one of her rituals, looking after those pitiful flowers, as she put it. She despised anything related to ladyhood, but as a noble lady, she was expected to do it. As a Tyrell, she had to be perfect.

When she was young, she had to use her femininity to get what she wanted, and just because she was a woman, she had to marry a dolt and has to look after his naive and slow son, don't get her wrong, her family was her everything but the so-called high lords of Reach wouldn't follow a woman while there was a man. She just didn't have any delusions about what to expect; she had to do everything indirectly.

At least her son knew his mother was smarter than him, and as long as she didn't walk over him openly, he would always follow her influence. She showed a sarcastic smile while trimming and thought most of her power hinged on the compliance of her son. She deserved more, and she earned more, but the long years she lived taught her life was never fair.

As she was thinking about what she had to do in this changing political climate, a big black raven perched on the pergola right next to her and started cawing; it frightened the maids and Margaery. She ran to her embrace as she screamed for her. It was the biggest raven she had ever seen. It was bigger than the eagles in their aviary. At first, she was getting ready to run, but then she saw a big piece of parchment tied to its leg.