Also, the Lannister matter.
"Lord Green." Brienne offered Lord Green a glass of wine.
Lord Green took the wine glass and said, "Thank you, Miss Brienne."
He took a sip of wine; once Margaery arrived in King's Landing, it would get even livelier.
Also, Dragonstone… He needed to see Melisandre. He had sent two King's Bloods (Robert I's two bastards, respectively: Chapter 176, Chapter 259) to Winterfell.
Lord Green, who had proclaimed himself the future Commander of the living army, was indeed very much looking forward to… Melisandre being able to directly resolve the Others crisis using the King's Blood, but this was merely a fantasy.
Calculating three steps ahead, Lord Green's main objective was to prevent the stubborn Duke Ned from impulsively pledging the entire North's allegiance directly to Stannis. With Robert's bastards positioned between Duke Ned and Stannis, coupled with Melisandre's thirst for King's Blood, it would be difficult for the two sides to reach a consensus… because Stannis at that time was not the same Stannis as before; Melisandre's influence over him would grow deeper and deeper.
Lord Green took a small sip of summer red. For the future war between the living and the dead, the North needed stability.
Lord Green left the washroom and entered the study, standing in front of a map.
He put down his wine glass, paused, and said, "Brienne, do you miss Stormlands?"
That place had not left her with pleasant memories… Brienne silently shook her head. She picked up the wine jug and poured wine into the empty glass beside Lord Green.
Lord Green did not press the matter, but changed the subject, saying, "After a while, we will go to the Red Keep."
He rubbed his hair and added, "On the way, we'll make a stop at maidenpool."
After a moment of silence, Brienne spoke, "Lord Green, are you leaving the Valley?"
Lord Green swirled the wine glass in his hand and said, "Are you concerned about the peace of the Valley?"
Seeing Brienne nod, Lord Green said, "My fiancée and the Whispering Fort Scholar will govern the Valley in my stead."
He rubbed his brow and continued, "Opportunities are rare, and my choices are not many."
Brienne's clear blue eyes flickered slightly, and she opened her mouth, saying, "Is that the real reason you bled the Valley Knight dry?"
Lord Green smiled and said, "There's no good reason, and as I told you before (Chapter 247), this is a cruel war, and it's a rare opportunity."
His fingers caressed the wine glass: "The Riverlands is my next battlefield, and this too is a rare opportunity."
...
The next day, Lord Green handed over the finishing touches at Longbow Hall to Sir Amparo, while he led his Clan Soldiers towards Eyrie.
...
...
"I love the smell of Mermaid Port the most; I've fallen deeply in love with this place. This is truly my home."
"You said the same thing in Whispering City."
"Oh, perhaps I love both deeply. I absolutely adore Lord Green's Crab Claw Peninsula."
"The Valley will soon be Lord Green's land too."
"…I love the Valley too, is that better?"
"It depends on where Lord Green will arrange for us."
"…You think with our merits this time, will Lord Green knight us as landed knights?"
A landed knight refers to a sworn knight who has been granted a castle and land by a lord. They have farmers, blacksmiths, and soldiers under their rule. Some wealthy landed knights may even have sworn knights loyal to them, but they do not have the right to administer justice on their own land. If they encounter lawbreakers, they must report to the lord they serve, who will make the decision.
"I don't think our merits compare to the military achievements in the Valley."
"Oh, Mondon, I shouldn't have talked to you about these things."
"Anguy, I'm just telling the truth."
At a spot on the Mermaid Port dock, stood a broad, stout figure and a tall, thin one. Behind them were a rugged old man holding a wooden box in each hand and a middle-aged man who was almost entirely covered in hair.
Their figures varied, but their commonality was that their attire resembled that of beggars who had wandered for a long time.
They were: Monton Wei Shui, Anguy, Ser Barristan Selmy, and Jorah Mormont (Chapters 206, 207), who had traveled to the Golden Company to retrieve Jon Connington's head, as ordered by Lord Green.
Anguy turned around, grinning, and said, "Welcome to Klaeb Territory."
Mondon also echoed gruffly, "Welcome, both of you."
Barristan scanned the rather desolate dock and said, "Thank you both for the welcome. I hope we can at least clean ourselves up before meeting Her Royal Highness; it's proper etiquette."
Ser Jorah ran his fingers through his messy hair and said, "Where should we go now?"
Anguy shrugged and said, "I never thought we'd successfully evade pursuit, only to be made such a mess by pirates."
He pointed to the tallest building in Mermaid Port: "Go there."
As the four walked toward the Hall of Office, Mondon's gruff voice spoke up: "Anguy, there was a battle here not long ago."
Anguy retracted his sharp gaze, nodded, and said, "It looks like it was quite large."
After a few steps, he suddenly sighed, "It's only been a few months, and I feel like… we've missed out on a lot of credit."
Mondon comforted his friend, "This time, the credit won't be small, Anguy."
Anguy first looked left and right, then leaned closer to Mondon, lowering his voice, "I've even thought of a surname for myself, just Anguy. Hehe, as long as my descendants are alive, my name will live on."
Mondon's dull eyes blinked as he said, "Anguy Anguy?"
Anguy's face lit up with excitement and he said, "How about it, Mondon?"
Mondon's big head nodded and said, "Not bad, very good."
Anguy looked suspiciously at his seemingly simple, yet cunning friend and said, "Really good? I want to hear the truth."
Under Anguy's questioning, Mondon's gaze reluctantly shifted from the roadside barbecue stall and he replied, "It is indeed good, because it's easy to remember."
Anguy's eyes widened slightly: "Just easy to remember, and you say it's good?!"
Mondon said seriously, "My mother told me that names and surnames that are too long annoy people."
Ser Barristan Selmy, walking behind them: "…"
"You know a lot."
Mondon chuckled.
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