Chapter 173: Black Wedding I

The following day.

In the morning, two four-wheeled carriages were parked in the front yard of Runestone. Jeyne sat in one of them, waving goodbye to Rhea, who was there to see her off.

"Forgive me for not being able to stay until the wedding banquet is over, Rhea," Jeyne said.

"The wedding banquet isn't as important as the Eyrie," Rhea replied solemnly.

"I'm leaving now. The guests are still waiting for you," Jeyne said, drawing the curtains closed.

Rhea gathered fifty guards and instructed them to escort Jeyne.

Rhaenyra, seated in the other carriage, watched Rhaegar on his white horse outside. The horse stomped its front hooves impatiently.

"We should ride a dragon. This is ridiculous!" Rhaegar grumbled, clutching the horse's belly.

"You should tell Jeyne that. She refuses to ride a dragon," Rhaenyra replied with a grin. "Don't worry. The Eyrie is only a few days away. We'll be there soon."

"Cannibal could make the trip from Runestone to the Eyrie in an hour," Rhaegar said, clearly frustrated. He hated wasting time on long journeys.

"Accommodate Jeyne. She's a Lady. She can't fall off the back of a dragon," Rhaenyra said, unfazed. She remembered how her father had forbidden her from riding dragons when she was younger. Every trip with him had been in a carriage.

Rhaegar sighed, taking the reins and urging the white horse forward. He wished he could let Jeyne leave with just the guards so he wouldn't have to escort her himself.

Gerold approached to bid them farewell. "Prince, the roads through the Mountains of the Moon are treacherous. Be cautious."

"Don't worry," Rhaegar nodded. "You just got married yesterday. Spend more time with Lady Rhea."

"I will," Gerold said, looking slightly shy as he thought about his new wife. He had had a wonderful night.

After a brief farewell, the two carriages left Runestone, accompanied by the guards. Rhea, Gerold, and a group of nobles from the Vale watched them off. Soon, the carriages disappeared from sight.

"Let's go back," Gerold suggested.

Rhea remarked casually, "Don't drink too much. You were so drunk last night. Be careful you don't die from drinking."

"Drinking and dying is a real man's destiny," Gerold retorted with a grin, finding an excuse for his love of drinking.

Rhea snorted and turned away, heading back. The master and guests had gone to see them off, leaving the castle quiet with only the servants remaining.

In the castle cellar, the wooden door was closed, but rustling sounds came from within. A servant passing by to fetch wine stopped, staring at the door in disbelief. Thinking a mouse had gotten into the cellar, he approached the door, puzzled.

...

Noon.

The procession back to the Eyrie moved slowly.

The Vale road was dangerous, with only a single, treacherous mountain path available. To return to the Eyrie from Runestone, the group had two possible routes.

One route followed the seashore, passing Iron Oaks and the Old Anchor before entering the interior of the Vale of Arryn. However, this path, close to Longbow Hall, had been abandoned.

The second route led to Gulltown, where they could take a boat down the Bay of Crabs to the Inn at the crossroads. From there, they would enter the Vale of Arryn through the Bloody Gate via the high road. This remote and flatter path was the one they chose.

"Rhaegar, do you want to take a rest?" Rhaenyra asked, feeling uncomfortable after half a day of travel.

Rhaegar looked up. The sun was high, and the temperature was rising.

"Wait until we pass through the canyon ahead. We'll rest then," he replied.

Scouts familiar with the route were aware of any obstacles. Being close to the Mountains of the Moon, they knew Mountain Clans and Shadowcats roamed the area. It was safer to find a stable place to rest.

Twenty miles away, a group of Mountain Clans, dressed in animal skins and carrying stone axes and bronze spears, moved through the mountains.

"The Vale bitch is just ahead. Hurry up!" urged an ugly, burly man leading the group.

He walked at the forefront, followed by his men. The mountains and forests were teeming with more of their kind, rolling in and out of view.

...

At the Old Anchor, hundreds of cavalrymen galloped along, kicking up dust in all directions.

They were the Cavalry of the Vale, assembled by Yorbert Royce. A few days earlier, the mountain clans besieging Longbow Hall had been defeated.

On their way back, they were ambushed by the remaining tribe members, suffering heavy losses due to an inside job compromising their route.

According to scouts, the Mountain Clans had gathered again and were marching towards Runestone, where a grand wedding was happening. Not only half the nobles from the Vale but also Lady Jeyne Arryn of the Eyrie were attending the wedding.

The severely wounded Yorbert ordered a return to Runestone at full speed.

...

Runestone.

Whoosh...

An arrow flew past and struck the bull's-eye.

In the training yard, Rhea drew her bow and shot another arrow. Around her, other nobles were also drawing their bows, competing in archery.

"Haha, I'm thirsty. No more archery for me," a certain lord exclaimed after missing the bull's-eye. He tossed aside his bow and called his friends to return to the castle.

Seeing this, Rhea put down her longbow and said, "We've been at this for half a day. It's time to prepare lunch!"

The wedding banquet had lasted for three days, and today was only the second. Besides feasting and drinking, archery and hunting were part of the festivities.

At Rhea's suggestion, the nobles complied and returned to the castle together.

Inside the hall, waiters prepared and brought dishes to the table. The men sat in the hall on the first floor, while the women gathered in the side hall on the second floor.

Rhea sat at the head of the table on the first floor, discussing hunting plans with Gerold.

Simple but hearty dishes were served, and the waiters opened wine barrels, pouring wine into jugs for the nobles in turn.

"Haha, I know I'll be fighting later, so I need to drink up now," a big man laughed, downing his cup of wine in one gulp.

A short male attendant approached Rhea, bowed his head, and poured her wine.

"Thank you," Rhea said, waving him away.

Patting the table, she stood up and raised her glass, drawing everyone's attention. The hall quieted, and all eyes were on her.

Rhea took a deep breath and spoke cheerfully, "Thank you all for coming to my wedding. Here's to you!"

"Haha, drink, drink!" the nobles cheered, slapping the tabletop and raising their cups.

The life of the nobles could be monotonous, with only banquets and martial tournaments to spark their interest.

As the wine flowed, the revelry reached its peak. Some nobles, who weren't drinking, ate a bit of food and brought out dice for games.

Bang—

Suddenly, the castle door closed with a muffled sound. Some looked over, seeing nothing amiss, and continued their festivities. Others, however, were more alert.

Old Lord Grimm Grafton, the Lord of Gulltown, sensed something was wrong. Frowning, he called his grandson over and whispered, "I feel a bit uneasy. Help me upstairs and fetch your sister."

Living over 60 years had made Grimm cautious and discreet, never one to take unnecessary risks.

Joffrey set down his glass and obediently helped his grandfather leave the table. Joining them was Lester Waynwood, who had earlier challenged Rhaegar. He had his eye on a Vale girl and was eager for a private meeting on the second floor.

(Word count: 1,280)