Chapter 172

Chapter 172 Contradictions

   Duke Eddard Stark rode his horse and followed the large army along the narrow mountain road, but his mind was wandering somewhere else.

  The army passed the Tower of Joy yesterday and found that there were still more than a dozen Dorne guards stationed in the tower.

Of course, this small tower was captured in less than an hour.

  Although this was a small battle not worth mentioning, Duke Eddard was still thinking about the tower made of blood-red rocks.

  It was in that tower that he found his sister, Lyanna Stark, at the end of Robert's rebellion.

  At that time, he was very angry when he saw her lying on a bed covered with roses and blood.

  In her arms, there was a baby.

  That was the child of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, the child of Duke Eddard's enemy!

  He launched a war and overthrew a dynasty, but in the end, he discovered that his sister actually gave birth to a son for the enemy with her life.

  "Promise me. Ned, promise me."

  He couldn't refuse his sister's request since he was a child, and it was the same at that time.

  Duke Eddard, who regarded honour as his life, finally brought the child back to Winterfell, claiming to be his illegitimate son, and named him Jon Snow.

  Time is like a leech, it has already sucked this unbearable memory, but the passing glimpse just now reminded Duke Eddard of this painful memory.

  Lifelike, as if right in front of his eyes.

  'I need wine. '

  Just as Duke Eddard turned around to get wine from his servants, a white horse ran towards the direction of the march.

  Duke Eddard recognized the knight as Garlan, the second son of the Tyrell family.

  "Lord Eddard !" Garlan reined his horse and asked while panting, "Didn't you say in the battle plan before that Kingsgrave City would not be attacked?"

  "Yes, what's the matter?"

  "Then why is the vanguard attacking Kingsgrave City?"

  "What? That is not an order from me!" Duke Eddard was startled, he didn't bother the drink and quickly clamped his horse's belly and rushed towards Vanguard.

  After riding forward for a while, Duke Eddard heard the faint cry of killing.

  This made him even angrier.

  There are actually more than a dozen fortresses on the route of Prince's Pass, but the only thing that can really hinder this 70,000-strong army is Skyreach City, which guards the southern end of Prince's Pass. This is also Duke Eddard's battle plan.

  The remaining large and small fortresses and castles along the way can either be pulled out without much effort, or there is no need to conquer them at all.

  The Kingsgrave City belongs to the latter because it does not block the marching route of the army. Unless the defenders in the city dare to go out of the castle and advance seven or eight miles to attack them actively, otherwise they are not a threat if they don't target transport convoys.

  Duke Eddard plans to leave an army of 3,000 to 4,000 people to monitor Kingsgrave City. As long as the other party dare not come out, there is no need for them to attack by force—because in that case, at least 3,000 to 4,000 people will be killed or injured while attacking.

  And even if they captured them, they have to leave a garrison behind. Otherwise, based on Duke Eddard's understanding of the Dornish people, there is a high probability that they would rebel after the army leave.

  Therefore, it is better not to attack.

  He came to avenge Jon Arryn, and the only enemy was the "Red Viper". Duke Eddard didn't want to cause unnecessary killings.

  Unfortunately, not everyone thinks that way.

  "Who ordered the attack?" Duke Eddard asked angrily.

  While speaking, he had already recognized the crests of several families.

  The golden antlers on the blotched fur on a blue background, this is House Buckwell from Crownsland.

  Blue net on a white background and three whitebaits, this is the Bywater family of King's Landing.

  A pair of black wings on a black and grey check, this is House Staunton of Rook's Rest.

  …

  Duke Eddard took a cursory look and found that all the families involved in the attack were from the royal side.

  "Who gave the order to attack!" Eddard yelled as he galloped between the queues on horseback.

  "Lord Eddard, it was His Majesty's order." A knight with a brown bear claw printed on his chest replied.

  "His Majesty's order?" Duke Eddard became even angrier, "But I am the commander of this army!"

  The knight from the Brune family shrugged and said, "I'm sorry, my lord, we thought you had discussed it with His Majesty... ..."

  "No!" Duke Eddard shouted loudly, "Stop the attack immediately!"

  After speaking, he turned his horse and rushed towards the crowned stag flag fluttering behind.

  Not long after, he heard King Joffrey's sharp voice:

  "What's the matter? Why aren't they attacking? Who told them to stop? "

  When Joffrey saw Eddard, he waved his horsewhip and shouted to the King's Hand:

  "Eddard Stark! How dare you veto my order!"

  "Your Majesty, the command of this army is in my hands, and you are not allowed to give orders without authorization. "

  "Of course, I can! I'm the king!"

  Duke Eddard looked at the messy king, and his head ached.

  How did you have such a son, Robert?

  Thinking of his daughter Sansa being engaged to such a person, Duke Eddard became even more worried.

  Just as the two of them were in a stalemate, the curtain of the Carriage parked by the roadside was lifted, revealing the beautiful face of Queen Cersei.

  "Lord Eddard, even if you are the commander of this army, you don't have to be so overbearing, right? Joffrey just wants to help you by removing obstacles on the road. "

  " They don't pose a threat to our rear, and there is no need to waste the lives of soldiers to attack, which I have made very clear in the pre-battle meeting."

"You are cowardly!" Joffrey shouted,

  " Unless the Dornishmen in the city surrender, we should go in and kill them all!"

  "You can't make the Dornishmen surrender by killing!"

  "Then kill all the Dornishmen who refuse to surrender!"

  " I'm afraid you will only kill more and more."

  "Impossible! People will rebel less and less!"

  "Lord Eddard ." Queen Cersei interrupted, "Although you are now the commander of this army, don't forget, I am the regent and guardian of the whole territory, I have the right to command the army of the whole territory, and I also qualify to revoke your command."

Duke Eddard was so angry that his face turned blue, he really wanted to throw the Hand of King badge on his chest, rebuke the mother and son, and then walk away with his northern army.

  But in the end, he still didn't do it.

  He has to avenge Jon Arryn and Robert Baratheon, he has to do justice for them.

  He can't just walk away.

  Seeing that Duke Eddard had nothing to say, Joffrey smiled triumphantly, and then said to the herald beside him,

  "Go and issue an attack order! I'm going to have dinner at KingsGrave City today!"

  "Yes, Your Majesty."

  Duke Eddard's mouth moved, but he didn't stop them.

  Soon, the siege horn sounded again.

  After Duke Eddard left, "Kingslayer" Jaime Lannister came to the window of the Queen's Carriage and whispered to his sister:

  "Didn't Father tell us not to let Joffrey interfere in military affairs?"

  Cersei glared at her younger brother: "Father wants me to marry again! If I don't take this opportunity to let Joffrey build up his military achievements and prestige, only then can he can be qualified to intercede for me in front of my father. "

" Do I still count on you?" Asked Cersei

  "I can help you persuade Father."

  "Say what?" Cersei looked disdainfully.

  Jaime looked sincerely: "Say we really love each other..."

  "You're crazy!" Cersei exclaimed, and then lowered her voice, "This will make people doubt Little Joe's legitimacy!"

  "Then let's make it public." Jaime said nonchalantly, "We can officially get married, just like brothers and sisters in the Targaryen family."

  Cersei looked at her brother in disbelief, as if she didn't expect him to say such a proposal:

  "And then? Little Joe will be kicked off the Iron Throne?"

  "What's so good about the iron throne? If you don't get it, then you didn't get it. Joffrey can inherit Casterly Rock City in the future."

Cersei was trembling with anger at her brother's thoughts: "You Go and inherit Casterly Rock yourself! My son wants King's Landing!"

  After finishing speaking, she lowered the Carriage curtain to isolate herself from her brother.

  —————————

  In the deep night, Samwell could already see the lighthouse on the pier of Starfall City from a distance.

  "Lord Yohn, just ahead."

  "Okay." Earl Yohn Royce nodded, and instructed the servants behind him, "Go and notify everyone, and prepare to land."

  After the servants left, Samwell couldn't help but glance at the bronze armor of the Earl of Runestone City again and asked:

  "It is said that there is magic imbued on your armour. Is this true?"

  "It is true. Otherwise, no set of bronze armour can be inherited several Thousands of years without damage."

  Samwell swallowed quietly: "Then after wearing it, can it resist all damage?"

  Earl Yohn laughed loudly: "Master Caesar, if that was the case, then the Royce family should have sat on the Iron Throne long ago. In fact, there are countless Royce who still died in battle wearing this set of bronze armour.

Robert Royce II, the last bronze king, once led the ancestors of the Vale against the invading Andals and finally wore this armour to die in the Battle of the Seven Stars.

William Royce, loyal to Rhaenyra Targaryen and the blacks during the Dance of the Dragons, One of the greatest knights of the world, also in bronze armour, died at the hands of a mob that stormed the Dragon's Lair, and even the Valyrian steel sword of House Royce was lost. There are many, many examples...

  Lord Caesar, no armour in this world can resist all harm, just as there is no sharp sword that can destroy all evil."

  When he said this, Earl Yohn glanced at the great sword [Dawn] behind Samwell.

  Samwell noticed the other person's eyes, and asked, "Do you know the sword behind me?"

  "Of course." Earl Yohn's tone was a bit sad, "The great sword [Dawn], I didn't expect Dayne family to actually let you take this sword away, and you can actually use it."

  Samwell frowned, "I didn't expect you to know [Dawn] so well."

  Earl Yohn's eyes suddenly became extremely deep, As if passing through a long time, his tone also carried endless vicissitudes, as if it came from a distant era:

  "We remember."

  Samwell was stunned for a moment and then realized that Earl Yohn was talking about Royce's family motto.

  This seemingly irrelevant question and answer made Samwell feel that the Royce family probably knew a lot of secrets inherited from the ancient era.

  "You, remember what?" Samwell asked tentatively.

  But Earl Yohn didn't answer any more, but just quietly looked at the lights on the pier, as if lost in memory.

  Seeing this, Samwell didn't ask any more questions.

  Both of them fell silent, only the sound of waves beating on the ship's side could be heard.

  Soon, seventeen large ships slowly docked.

  The soldiers disembarked one by one, trying not to make any noise.

  Samwell also got off the boat and saw Natalie who came to greet him at a glance.

  The Countess of Starfall City was wearing a large cloak, and when she saw Samwell, she waved excitedly and showed an intoxicating sweet smile.

[END]