The valley stretched before Gendry, reaching to the misty east—a peaceful and tranquil land, sheltered on all sides by mountains, with fertile black soil, wide and gentle rivers, and hundreds of lakes, big and small, gleaming like mirrors in the sun.
The fields were heavy with barley, wheat, and corn; even Highgarden's pumpkins were no larger than those here, and its fruit not as sweet.
As Gendry and the others entered the western end of the valley, after passing through the last mountain pass, the road began to wind downwards to the foot of the mountains, two miles below.
Here the valley was narrow, traversable in less than half a day, and the mountains to the north were so close Gendry felt he could reach out and touch them.
The highest mountain here was called the Giant's Lance, towering over all other peaks; its summit, three and a half miles above the ground, vanished into the cold mist.
"That is Alyssa's Tears," Bronze Yohn Royce introduced to Gendry, pointing to the shimmering silver ribbon.
Alyssa's Tears, a ghostly torrent, coursed down its towering western ridge, clearly visible even from a distance.
"That's also where The Eyrie is," Gendry thought.
He knew The Eyrie was next to Alyssa's Tears, the seat of House Arryn, where Robert and Eddard had been fostered by Lord Jon, forging a lifelong friendship—though both were unfortunately greatly harmed by their wives.
If one looked closely enough, and the sun happened to strike the castle walls, a flash of white light could be seen.
Seven tall towers, like pure white daggers, pierced the belly of the sky, soaring into the clouds; standing on the battlements, the clouds were beneath one's feet.
"The Vale of Arryn is truly a wonderful place; there are beautiful sights to behold and Vale cavalry to command," Gendry exclaimed.
Every land had its wonders, and the Giant's Lance in The Vale of Arryn was probably the highest mountain outside of Winterfell.
"It is said the waterfall formed after Alyssa Arryn died," Ser Barristan said.
"Alyssa Arryn was a woman from an ancient branch of House Arryn.
Legend has it that she watched her husband, brothers, and children brutally murdered, yet never shed a single tear.
The Gods punished her with endless tears after death, until her tears watered the black, fertile plains of the valley, for all those she loved were buried there."
The Blackfish's expression, however, was somewhat troubled.
The heartless Alyssa.
He had not expected his niece, Lysa, to become such a cruel woman, suspected of poisoning her own husband, and thus subject to the condemnation of the Gods above.
"The Bloody Gate has been arranged," Brynden said.
"We should reach the foot of the mountain by this evening.
But climbing the mountain will take another day."
"I hope our guests will arrive safely," Gendry nodded.
If they reached The Gate of the Moon, that would be the most urgent moment of today's battle; they still needed to charge into The Eyrie.
"It is our honor to host them as guests," the young Ser Donnel Waynwood said, trying to be serious and polite.
"Birds have flown not only to The Eyrie but also to Runestone."
"My son will surely come in secret," Lord Yohn promised.
"Once the situation is settled, there will be even more Lords."
The "persuaded" Ser Donnel had already sent out a raven.
After The Bloody Gate was tightly controlled, Lysa Tully would receive a message about her uncle Ser Brynden's visit, and Ser Donnel would lead them south.
"This place is peaceful and beautiful, but how long can it last before chaos descends?" Gendry wondered.
Based on the actual combined strength of the Seven Kingdoms, after Westerlands and The Reach, The Vale of Arryn was probably in third place.
The Vale of Arryn, with the ruggedness of the Mountains of the Moon, could be described as impregnable, while its interior consisted of fertile plains, rivers, and lakes.
In an era without dragons, foreign enemies would perish below The Bloody Gate, and the Lords Arryn could sleep soundly in The Eyrie.
Such natural defenses also intensified The Vale of Arryn's conservative nature: comfort, old-fashionedness, and honor.
Moreover, House Arryn, as descendants of the Andals, had always been small in number, often consisting of orphans and widows.
During the time of the Dragon Kings, the main line had broken several times, making the Lords Arryn even more conservative and cautious.
"Besides these mountains, how much land does The Vale of Arryn have?" Gendry asked Bronze Yohn.
"Not much," Yohn replied.
"The Vale of Arryn is one of the smaller regions in the Seven Kingdoms, only slightly better than the Stormlands and Dorne, but The Vale of Arryn has a larger population."
"But The Vale of Arryn also has good seaports, and trade Across the Narrow Sea has always been smooth; Gulltown is closer to Braavos, and I also took the sea route north to Winterfell," Ser Brynden said.
The Vale of Arryn would not be so wealthy based solely on its fertile land; trade routes accounted for a significant portion.
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