Hooves pounded on the muddy road, splashing mud and water. Arthur reined in his horse and looked back at the surging Green Fork River in the distance.
The Riverlands truly isn't a good place, exposed on all sides, with enemies coming from every direction.
Any lord with a bit of power can use this spiderweb-like river system to quickly bring forces to your doorstep.
And for the Ironborn who command longships, this is even more true; these rivers are not natural barriers, but expressways.
Most crucially, a strange sense of anxiety gripped his heart, things had completely spiraled out of control, igniting an unnamed fury within him.
The storm was now raging outside his territory, and for the first time, he felt like an ordinary Westerosian, a reef battered by the waves.
In his memory, there had never been such a large-scale Ironborn invasion. How did two to three thousand Ironborn raiders manage to cross Seaguard? This force was enough to plunge half the Riverlands into a chaotic inferno.
Could it be that his arrival had caused the butterfly's wings to flap? His mind raced. Perhaps the situation wasn't as dire as he imagined. Reinforcements from the Crownlands would surely arrive soon, and the Knights of the Vale were only separated by the Brightmoon Mountains. The Northmen wouldn't stand idly by either.
Back in Lions Den, even the cold mountain walls couldn't calm him. He pulled off his leather gloves, tossing them irritably onto the table, and began pacing back and forth in the council chamber.
Olivier, Brin, and Rosso stood silently, watching their lord, feeling the anxiety radiating from him.
Listening to the dull, rhythmic thud of his boots on the stone slab, it was as if they were tapping on each of their nerves.
Suddenly, Arthur's footsteps stopped. He abruptly stood still in front of the map, his eyes fixed on the area representing his territory, nestled against the Brightmoon Mountains.
He frowned. Wait, why was he nervous? A thought, like lightning, split through the chaos.
When the sky falls, the tall ones bear the brunt.
Even if the Ironborn fleet sailed the Trident River, the first to face them would be the Tully of Riverrun, the Frey of Li River City, Blackwood, and Blinken, before reaching him in the deepest part.
Those ancient families who had ruled the Riverlands for hundreds, even thousands of years, should be the Ironborn's primary targets.
As for himself, his reputation was not prominent, his origins humble, and he was backed by the continuous Brightmoon Mountains. There he had his five newly established military towns, his accumulated supplies, and his most loyal subjects and soldiers.
Advance to harass, retreat to defend. He possessed the most valuable strategic depth that no one else in the entire Riverlands had.
Once he understood this, the outward anxiety instantly vanished.
In its place was an extreme and unwavering calm.
He turned around, his gaze sweeping over everyone, his voice not loud, but carrying an unquestionable command: "Where is Evelyn?"
"Call her, and Lucien. Everyone, gather in the council chamber immediately for a meeting."
Soon, all core members at Lions Den gathered in the council chamber.
Evelyn, Olivier, Brin, Lucien, Rosso Brun, they looked at the calm Arthur, a hint of confusion on their faces.
Arthur didn't explain. He tapped the map on the table with his finger: "War is coming, but it's not our war."
He first looked at Olivier.
"Olivier, you've done very well. Grain is our confidence."
"Immediately arrange for manpower to transport all our grain into the mountains, distributing it among the five major fortresses."
"Remember, be quick and discreet."
Olivier bowed and accepted the order, then added: "Please rest assured, my Lord. You are truly blessed by the Seven Gods. You sent me out to purchase grain before the Ironborn invasion, otherwise..."
"Including what we purchased before, all our stored grain is enough to sustain us for more than half a year."
A smile appeared on his face as he looked at everyone.
"The House Valpin is chasing me precisely because the batch of grain I bought from them was almost half of their annual reserves."
Arthur nodded. This news gave him more confidence. He turned to Lucien, who had always been responsible for contacting the various military towns for him.
"Lucien, have all the military towns start construction immediately."
"I need them to build the most practical defenses at the fastest speed."
Arthur stroked his forehead in thought. The construction of the fortresses had always used local materials from the Brightmoon Mountains, but many buildings were simple wooden structures. Previously, he thought they could be built steadily and didn't pay much attention, which was not good.
"Get all the people in the fortresses moving. Collect rolling stones, sharpen logs, make traps, and use stones instead of wood to reinforce the fortresses."
"I want every mountain peak to become an impregnable fortress that the Ironborn cannot chew through or conquer!"
He touched the sword at his waist and pondered for a moment.
"Have the people working in the fields! Keep their armor and weapons on the field ridges! Ready to be conscripted at any moment!"
Lucien's eyes lit up with fighting spirit: "Yes, Lord Arthur!"
Next, Arthur's gaze fell on the newly joined Ser Rosso Brun: "Ser Rosso, my riders need to get moving."
"Select the most agile and sharp-eyed among them, and equip them with light armor."
"Have them scout east and south along the Green Fork River. I want to know about all unusual movements."
"Have them set up smoke signals and bonfires along the river. Once anything unusual is spotted, immediately light the smoke signals to transmit the alarm in stages. I want to receive news before the Ironborn set foot on our land."
Rosso Brun saluted, placing his hand on his chest, and replied decisively: "Yes, my Lord."
Finally, Arthur looked at Brin: "Brin, you go with Hakon and Barna from Cross Town and Riverbend Town to formulate the most detailed emergency evacuation plan."
"Once the smoke signals are lit, all townspeople must immediately withdraw in batches to the five major military towns deep in the mountains, following the predetermined routes."
This place in the Riverlands is simply garbage. Arthur's eyes turned cold, and he gritted his teeth.
"I emphasize again! If that day truly comes! Do not leave a single grain of food! Do not leave anything for those Ironborn!"
Everyone was stunned by Arthur's series of decisive and thorough orders. If it came to the final moment, it was almost a complete abandonment of the plains, to hold fast to the Brightmoon Mountains.
The council chamber was silent, only the crackling of charcoal burning in the brazier. Everyone understood the implied meaning within this resolute decision.
Arthur was silent for a moment. Finally, he looked at Lucien and gave an order that shocked everyone: "Lucien."
"Here, my Lord!"
"After you notify the various towns, go to Cross Town and Riverbend Town and mobilize four hundred men from the newly subjugated people."
"Have them take up arms and immediately set off for Daintings City to help Lady Rona defend the castle."
At these words, everyone was astonished.
Olivier eagerly spoke: "My Lord! We should wait for Lady Rona to give the order."
"Even..."
"We could find an excuse to decline... With the Ironborn invasion, self-preservation is paramount."
In his opinion, in Westeros, when one's own safety is at stake, prioritizing the protection of one's own family is the correct and reasonable choice, and beyond reproach.
Arthur raised his hand, stopping their discussion.
He looked at their puzzled eyes and slowly explained: "Nothing is more memorable than extending a helping hand in someone else's most desperate hour."
"We proactively send troops, and we do so even before Lady Rona asks for help. This loyalty, this friendship, is worth more than any amount of gold dragons."
As he spoke, a smile appeared on his face.
"Most importantly, would Lord Dettings still have the nerve to ask for my remaining men?"
"Our core strength, the veterans who fought with us, must remain in the mountains to protect our foundation."
Everyone suddenly understood.
He turned to Lucien, his tone becoming serious and direct.
"Lucien, you take these four hundred men to Daintings City. Remember my words."
"Your mission is not to fight the Ironborn to the death, but to make a show of force, to make Daintings City's banners appear more numerous."
"Hide in the back, shout slogans, and absolutely do not charge to the front."
"Tell these new recruits that I will take care of their families, and not a single coin or grain of food will be withheld."
"But if anyone dares to desert on the way! The collective responsibility will still apply!"
Arthur paused, fearing his slow wit wouldn't understand, and lowered his voice even further.
"If all else fails... run!"
Lucien looked deeply at Arthur and nodded heavily: "I understand, Lord Arthur."
When everyone had left with their orders, only Arthur and Evelyn remained in the council chamber, and the atmosphere suddenly became somewhat delicate.
Arthur looked at Evelyn, who stood quietly to the side, a hint of embarrassment on his face: "Evelyn, there's one last thing..."
Year "Write to Lady Rona of Deep Valley City, in my name."
"Tell her to absolutely not leave the castle, and immediately begin reinforcing the defenses and stockpiling food and water."
"Especially remind her to stay away from river areas. The Ironborn fleet moves quickly, and she must not be complacent."
He felt like he was having his secretary write a love letter to his mistress now.
Evelyn said nothing, simply walked to the table, unfurled a parchment, dipped her pen in ink, and prepared to write.
After writing, she looked up and blew on the letter to dry it.
Her eyes met Arthur's, with a playful, half-smiling look.
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