Gendry looked at the road before him.
The population of The Vale of Arryn should have reached its carrying capacity, and The Vale of Arryn maintained close ties with the Free Cities.
Both the Crownlands and The Vale of Arryn had suitable seaports: King's Landing and Gulltown.
The Vale of Arryn was a fractured geographical unit; there were many nobles who were conservative but impoverished, and many wealthy merchants who lacked status but were affluent.
Littlefinger's base of support was precisely this class of commoners, represented by minor nobles and merchants, who were entrenched in Gulltown.
Littlefinger was merely their spokesman.
"Solving Littlefinger is not enough; the entire Gulltown group also needs to be won over," Gendry thought.
Littlefinger relied on money, but a dual-faced Lord like House Grafton, with both money and nobility, could jump ship at any time.
Many weary soldiers also mustered their courage and rested briefly.
Except for a very few who remained at The Bloody Gate, The Bloody Gate soldiers were happy to see Ser Brynden; The Blackfish also warmly greeted every Bloody Gate soldier, as he was their long-time superior and friend.
More cavalry rested briefly and then remounted, also bringing out all the energetic, shaggy-maned horses familiar with the mountain paths from the stables.
Gendry had found the taxi soldiers most familiar with the mountain paths and most resilient, and he had not expected the roads in The Vale of Arryn to be so difficult, the mountain paths so treacherous.
Without dragons, The Vale of Arryn was entirely an independent kingdom.
So they set off down into the valley plain below, with The Blackfish and Bronze Yohn walking beside Gendry, along with Ser Barristan, Anguy, Ser Donnel, and others.
Their mounts carefully descended the steep, rocky path.
Gendry estimated that some Lords in The Vale of Arryn had an ambiguous attitude towards him, after all, The Vale of Arryn and Winterfell hadn't gained much by following Robert.
King Robert had also given a position that had been inherited by House Arryn for nearly three hundred years to Jaime Lannister, which everyone felt was a deep insult.
And his visit to The Eyrie this time was also to stir things up; he might even have to personally kill a few short-sighted individuals.
So, it had to be done quickly; aside from Lysa, he aimed to be as friendly as possible, persuading rather than forcefully suppressing.
"I should have known Lysa had changed beyond recognition.
As for Catelyn, and my brother's children... sigh," The Blackfish sighed, his words filled with worry.
Not a single Tully was outstanding.
"The Imp was not brought to The Eyrie, but the war still began; Lord Tywin had been plotting for a long time," Gendry replied, even though the two Tully women were almost entirely foolish.
"Lysa enjoys the game of being courted; I believe she intends to rule personally until her son grows up and becomes the true Lord of The Eyrie.
I thought she was being foolish, but I didn't realize she was mad," The Blackfish said gloomily.
He had noticed his niece's paranoia, but he had never imagined she possessed such a dark heart.
"On this trip, there are a few people we need to pay special attention to," Bronze Yohn said.
"My cousin Nestor at The Gate of the Moon, the young Lord Robert, Lady Lysa, and Lyn Corbray.
And a whole string of Lysa's suitors."
"Our sword has crossed the mountains; now is the time for it to be unsheathed," Gendry said, looking at the arakh he carried, its edge unparalleled.
"I'll be responsible for persuading my foolish cousin," Bronze Yohn promised.
"If he's still willing to listen to me."
"I hope you succeed, Lord.
Otherwise, I can only rely on my blade," Ser Barristan said.
"Your Highness, your attention should be on Lyn.
The Vale of Arryn's first sword has always been quite fierce," The Blackfish reminded him.
"Yes, Ser Lyn is also on the mountain; he is rumored to be a strong contender," Ser Donnel added.
"Lyn will find the stag more dangerous than him," Anguy snorted.
"Is he as formidable as the Kingslayer?
The stag's warhammer doesn't kill nobodies."
"As for that Child, I can only pray to the Gods that he will listen to me, after all, I once tried to coax him," The Blackfish said, worried.
"Is the young Lord so terrible?"
"Only six years old, sick all the time, and he cries if you take away his doll.
He is Jon Arryn's legitimate son, the Gods above bear witness, but some say he is too weak to inherit his father's seat."
"I suspect he has also been poisoned, but I'm not entirely sure," Gendry said.
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