The Vale, Longbow Hall.
The air was filled with the smell of blood and burning, and Greene Kleber, surrounded by Blue Cloaks, surveyed the battlefield after the fighting had ceased.
Longbow Hall's ancient walls bore witness to a fierce siege, their once sturdy surfaces now covered in arrow holes, cracks, and scorched marks—the imprints left by fire and massive stones.
Greene arrived on top of the wall; the ground was strewn with various weapons and equipment, such as broken spears, blunted longswords, and shattered shields; the bodies of defending and attacking soldiers lay intertwined, their faces twisted in the agony and fear of death.
At the edge of the wall, the remains of a siege tower still burned, thick smoke billowing upwards, as if signaling the end of this brutal battle.
Ian Hunter, who had ruled Longbow Hall for nearly sixty years and died suddenly last year, had three sons: Jerwood, Eustace, and Harlan. Jerwood Hunter and Harlan Hunter died during the Vale's arranged battles (Chapters 244 and 247, respectively), while Eustace died in today's siege.
Reon Hersy of the Hersy Family, standing beside Greene, spoke, "My Lord, currently… the legal heir to the Hunter Family is Jansie Hunter, who married into The Twins. Her husband is Edwyn Frey, who is Lord Walder Frey's great-grandson and has inheritance rights to The Twins."
The Twins… Greene's steps did not falter; he walked and said, "Reon, under Kleber's rule, there will be no Hunter surname among the Vale's nobility."
Upon hearing this, Reon Hersy's steps paused slightly, and his voice held a hint of excitement: "I understand, Lord Green."
After a pause, Dellas Malco, the eldest son and heir of the Earl of Old Anchor Land, glanced at the triumphant Reon and said, "Lord Green, the Malco Family is at your command."
Greene nodded slightly, turning his head to look at Dellas, and asked, "How many casualties have the Malco Clan Soldiers suffered?"
Dellas respectfully replied, "More than thirty killed in action, My Lord."
Greene patiently pressed, "How many Clan Soldiers are wounded?"
He hadn't actually counted… The fifteen-year-old heir of Old Anchor Land scratched his head and said, "Approximately… about a hundred people."
He paused, then honestly admitted, "Sorry, I didn't pay attention to these details, My Lord."
Greene, with a smile in his eyes, reached out and patted Dellas, saying, "Don't neglect them; every Clan Soldier is precious, Dellas."
"I will remember that, Lord Green," Dellas replied loudly.
Their conversation also reached the ears of the Clan Soldiers who were "tidying up" the battlefield nearby. The keen Lord Green felt the fervent gazes focused on him, yet he continued his inspection as if oblivious.
The Vale conflict, mixed with the flames of revenge from Crabclaw Point, was bloody. Lord Green needed to lower the "temperature" in the Vale, so… details were crucial, laying the foundation for future long-term peace and stability.
Whether they were Crabclaw Point Clan Soldiers or Vale Clan Soldiers, they were all Kleber's Clan Soldiers.
The Cleber Legion was just in its rewards and punishments, and among its Clan Soldiers, only strength and weakness mattered.
...
Inside Longbow Hall's study, Greene's quill moved across the parchment as he wrote a letter to Rosel, the steward of Seagull Town.
In a little over a month, it would be the Vale's harvest season, and Greene's tax exemption policy would increase the supply of grain flowing into the market, which could potentially be exploited by ill-intentioned individuals to drive down grain prices.
The result… if no corresponding countermeasures were prepared, Lord Green's benevolent policy would instead cause losses to the Vale's farmers, and he would bear the ill repute.
As a ruler, Greene would not overestimate human greed; he needed Steward Rosel to use the Cley Cerwyn Trading Company to stabilize grain prices in the Vale, which would also serve as a food reserve for future crises.
Granaries… Greene's quill left the parchment and dipped into the ink.
Swish, swish, swish, the quill began to move again.
He put the finished letter into an envelope and sealed it with blue sealing wax (previously referred to as sealing clay in the book, now changed to sealing wax in this chapter). The slightly darker blue color was the base color of the Kleber banner, specially custom-made by the wealthy Lord Green from a merchant after occupying Seagull Town.
Greene's action was inspired by the top noble families of the Seven Kingdoms, such as: Lannister's golden sealing wax, Baratheon's black sealing wax, House Tyrell's green sealing wax, House Martell's orange-red sealing wax, Stark's grey sealing wax, and House Arryn's… never mind.
With a thud, Greene stamped the swamp marigold seal onto the blue sealing wax.
Lord Green placed the letter down and leaned back in his chair. Actually, he preferred golden sealing wax. Perhaps that could be a reason for Kleber to go to war with Lannister?!
What would the historians of Westeros call this war… The War of the Sealing Wax?
...
Knock, knock, knock, Brienne of Tarth pushed the door open and said, "Lord Green, Virgil, the Legion's Legal Officer, requests an audience."
"Please, let him in."
Virgil hurried in, bowed, and said, "Lord Green, Centurion Costa, along with his two Decurions and a dozen Clan Soldiers, broke into a manor near Longbow Hall. The manor's owner is a cloth merchant. Costa and his men violated the women in the manor, the manor owner was severely wounded, and five manor servants died."
He added, "When our army was about to reach Longbow Hall, the manor owner voluntarily submitted to you. According to klaebber law, they are your subjects."
Greene's eyebrows raised slightly: "My Legal Officer, did someone obstruct your handling of this?"
After a pause, Virgil directly stated, "Dreal Keifer, Baron and Commander of the Pikemen Regiment, requested an opportunity for Costa and his men to atone for their sins on the battlefield."
The Keifer Family is a noble family from Crabclaw Point. After Greene established his rule over Crabclaw Point, they voluntarily chose to submit to the Kleber Family. Rumor has it… a member of the Keifer Family once served in the Kingsguard of the Targaryen Dynasty.
Greene seemed very curious: "Legal Officer Virgil, did Dreal Keifer lead troops in resistance? Did anyone draw a sword?"
Virgil shook his head and said, "Baron Keifer did not allow my enforcement Clan Soldiers to arrest anyone. He and his guards blocked the camp gate. He hoped I would ask you… for an opportunity for them to atone for their sins."
Greene then asked, "Legal Officer Virgil, what is your opinion?"
Virgil puffed out his chest and said without hesitation, "Lord Green, you said that if klaebber law is violated, there can only be severe punishment."
Greene nodded slightly, rising as he spoke, "I have bestowed just and generous rewards…"
He fastened "lady forlorn" to his waist and continued, "Yet Baron Keifer chose rebellion."
Virgil's lips trembled, saying, "Re… rebellion?"
"It is tantamount to rebellion."
Greene turned to Brienne and said, "Have the Clan Soldiers assemble. Also, send someone to inform Impa about this and have her keep an eye on those Sellswords."
Brienne nodded steadily, then turned and strode away.
Ever since Greene led the Crabclaw Point Clan Soldiers into the Vale, and with the legendary victories that followed, the Crabclaw Point Clan Soldiers had gradually developed a certain… arrogance, believing themselves to be the best in the Seven Kingdoms.
Confidence is certainly a good thing, but it must not be excessive, as it can make them uncontrollable. If klaebber law cannot restrain his Clan Soldiers, even the most elite Clan Soldiers will instantly fall into depravity.
Taking this opportunity, Lord Green intended to "cool down" the Crabclaw Point Clan Soldiers who had swept through the Vale.
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