**Gods Eye.** Gods Eye, located on the southern border of the Riverlands, is a large lake—said to be the largest in all of Westeros.
In at least ten years of John's travels across the continent, he had never seen a body of water more magnificent than this lake.
In the heart of Gods Eye stands an island called the Isle of Faces. Legend has it that the Children of the Forest and the First Men made a pact here.
As a young boy, John, along with his village friend Barry, secretly rowed to this legendary "Isle of Faces," eager to see for themselves whether the name "Thousand Faces" was truly fitting, and also curious about whether the sacred organization guarding the island—the "Green Men"—were truly green-skinned.
However, to their dismay, they didn't encounter a single person dressed in green on the island. Nevertheless, they did see many weirwood trees carved with human faces.
Due to long neglect, the faces on the thick trunks of the weirwood trees were no longer recognizable. But as they walked among these giant trees, they always felt watched by some unseen force.
This unease kept John and his friends from venturing deep into the island. After circling the woods along the shore a few times, they hastily fled.
Years later, when John arrived in the North, he learned that the weirwood trees with carved faces he had seen on that desolate island in his youth were called "heart trees" by the First Men, symbols of the Old Gods.
Perhaps for this reason, only the Isle of Faces in the entire South still retains a weirwood forest, and even the most devout descendants of the First Men dare not spend the night on a lonely island filled with heart trees.
From that night on, John developed a deep interest in the truth of the existence of the gods, and at the age of seventeen he became a novice monk at St. Morse Monastery.
St. Morse Monastery is located on the southwest shore of Gods Eye, its area almost the size of a knight's manor. In fact, before the last patriarch of the Mooton family died and donated the land to the church, it was indeed a knight's manor.
Even today, traces of towers can still be faintly seen on the corners of the walls of St. Morse Monastery.
However, since Jaehaerys Targaryen I disarmed the Faith, the Faith of the Seven was no longer permitted to possess buildings with military functions.
Therefore, upon taking over the estate, the Faith dismantled the towers and entrusted its security to the Vance family of Wayfarer's Rest.
In return, the monastery had to pay the Vance family an annual "reward" of wine worth one hundred gold dragons to ensure their lands and trade routes were free from harassment.
Fortunately, the Mooton family's lands were located by the lake—a slope perfectly suited for vineyards.
Under the careful cultivation of the monks at St. Morse Abbey, the wine produced became renowned, highly sought after even by noble families in King's Landing. Therefore, paying the Vance family of Wayfarer's Rest the "reward"—wine—was not a burden for the monastery.
Thanks to the stable production of wine from the estate, St. Morse Abbey supported over fifty devout monks year-round.
Besides supervising the grape cultivation of the farmers under their jurisdiction, they also personally participated in the winemaking process. Apart from that, their daily lives consisted of staying in the monastery, praying and practicing.
The entire monastery was built of solid stone, and despite the passage of time, the stone walls remained as sturdy as ever.
The main buildings of the monastery were rectangular in layout, with a towering tower at the center, from which flew the flag representing the monastery's faith. The tower was surrounded by lower buildings to ensure the monks' living needs.
The monastery walls were high and thick, with only a few small windows occasionally visible.
When John, dressed in a worn monk's robe and carrying an old bag, appeared at the monastery gate, the novice monk guarding the gate was quite puzzled, finding it hard to believe that such a middle-aged man, who looked like a common monk, was also a member of the monastery.
"I am John, a monk from Treebark Village. Abbot Grellor was my teacher; you can confirm with him," John said.
"Abbot Grellor has passed away," the gatekeeper replied, "but I think many other teachers will still know you. Please wait a moment."
With that, the freckled novice monk closed the small hole in the door. A moment later, a middle-aged monk with graying hair opened the door, hugged John tightly, and said excitedly, "John, you're finally back!"
"Thomas, it's been a long time," John replied warmly, hugging him back just as tightly.
"Did you come back from the Vale?" Brother Thomas asked.
John was about to answer when Brother Thomas interrupted him. "Wait, don't rush to speak. Put down your luggage and rest for a while. Tell me your story properly at dinner tonight."
John nodded. Indeed, many years had passed, and there were many stories of joy and sorrow that could not be explained in a few words.
"Is my room still there?" John asked.
"It's gone," Brother Thomas replied. "Because you've been traveling for years, your room has been assigned to a newly joined brother. However, I can have someone arrange for you to stay in a guest room for a couple of days, and you can move in once a suitable room becomes available."
Brother Thomas paused for a moment, then continued, "But you probably don't mind sharing a room with someone else, do you?"
John shook his head. "Not at all."
So, led by Thomas, John went to the "Knight's Tower" located on the east side of the monastery, gently knocked on the door, and asked, "Is Brother Sparrow in?"
"Yes! Just a moment." A strong, aged voice responded.
A moment later, an old man opened the door, forcing a smile, and apologized, "I'm sorry, Brother Thomas, I was praying to the gods when you knocked. I hope I didn't keep you waiting."
Brother Thomas quickly replied, "No, I should be apologizing for interrupting your prayers."
Then Brother Thomas introduced Brother Sparrow. "This is Brother John from our monastery. He devoutly serves the 'Blacksmith' and is also a highly skilled carpenter. He's been traveling for the past few years and just returned today. Since his room was already assigned to another brother, he'll have to share with you for the next couple of days. I hope you don't mind."
John smiled and nodded to Brother Sparrow, carefully observing his future roommate.
Brother Sparrow was a tall, thin, and stern-eyed old man with gray hair, a face etched with wrinkles, slender yet powerful limbs, and rough skin. John could tell at a glance that this was a monk who had long mingled among the common people.
John immediately felt a sense of liking for Brother Sparrow. Brother Sparrow, after observing John, clearly made the same judgment. He smiled and said, "I would be happy to share a room with a devout servant of the Seven like Brother John. Please come in."
With that, Brother Sparrow opened the door and welcomed John inside.
The guest rooms at St. Morse Monastery date back to the Mooton family era. Originally a resting place for the family's servants, it was later converted to accommodate visiting guests, providing lodging for merchants seeking business and wandering monks seeking temporary shelter.
The guest room was simply and practically furnished. The room was a good size, large enough to accommodate two sturdy wooden beds. While unadorned, these beds were durable and well-made, with clean sheets and blankets, clearly well-maintained.
On the wall hung an image of a warrior in armor; though faded, the image was still clearly discernible.
A simple wooden table and two chairs were placed by the window for guests to rest or dine. An oil lamp sat on the table for nighttime illumination.
A simple wardrobe stood in the corner, containing a few spare monk's robes and changes of clothes. A small washbasin was also provided.
While not luxurious, the guest room felt like home to John.
After settling John in, Brother Thomas thoughtfully invited him to dinner that evening before taking his leave, leaving John alone to rest quietly.
Entering the room, John placed his luggage on the floor beside the bed and then knelt to pray.
Lately he had been praying more and more frequently, not because he had become more devout, but because his faith had begun to waver.
If he didn't suppress his confusion through frequent prayer, perhaps one day his prayers would change from "the great Seven Gods" to "the great Sun God Anshe."
However, in the eyes of Brother Sparrow, who shared the room, John's actions were purely a symbol of piety. So Brother Sparrow also knelt and prayed by his own bed.
At dusk, Brother Thomas came looking for him and saw this scene through the window. After waiting outside for a moment, he knocked on the door and called out, "John, come eat."
John stood up, opened the door, and prepared to go out. Just as he stepped out of the room, he turned back to Brother Sparrow and asked, "Brother Sparrow, would you like to come with us for dinner?"
Brother Sparrow snapped out of his prayers and smiled, declining, "No need, Brother John, you go ahead. I'll come later." John nodded and followed Thomas away.
As John and Thomas prepared to go to the monastery's refectory, they had to cross the courtyard connecting the east wing and the main building.
Although John had been away from the monastery for quite some time, the courtyard was still clearly well-maintained. A smooth flagstone path led through the courtyard, flanked by neatly manicured lawns.
Wildflowers dotted the lawns, swaying gently in the breeze and releasing a faint fragrance. Several ancient oak trees stood in one corner of the courtyard, their branches lush and verdant.
It was dusk, and the setting sun bathed the entire courtyard in a golden glow.
The two walked through the courtyard, the flagstones creaking softly underfoot. Thomas said thankfully, "Luckily Brother Sparrow didn't agree, otherwise you wouldn't have enjoyed your meal."
"Why?" John asked curiously.
Thomas explained, "Brother Sparrow is a very old-fashioned man. He believes that a life of austerity is the duty of monks. If he saw the dishes we prepared for you, he probably wouldn't have given us a pleasant look."
"Brother Sparrow—where is he from? I've never heard of him before," John pressed.
Thomas replied, "He only arrived at our monastery a few months ago, and we don't know his background, but Abbot Brian treats him with great respect, even fear.
He's always out early and back late, rarely staying at the monastery. However, since he joined us, it seems more merchants are buying wine from us."
With that, the two went to a small cubicle next to the main dining hall. Thomas greeted the novice monk in charge of the dining hall, who immediately brought out several plates of delicious dishes.
"John, have a taste; I had the kitchen prepare this especially for you," Thomas said warmly.
Looking at the riverside stew, butter-fried mushrooms, and several other dishes he hadn't had in a long time, John couldn't help but laugh. "I didn't expect you to remember what I like to eat."
Thomas laughed too, recalling, "We've been classmates for years—how could I forget? I remember once you helped the Legg family repair the icon, and when you came back with your reward, you treated us fellow apprentices to a good meal at the tavern in Treebark Village.
Later we got drunk and went back to the dormitory, and when the teacher found out, he grounded us for a month."
John pursed his lips and added, "You guys were only grounded… a whole month! I've been cleaning the outhouse for a whole month!"
John paused, then changed the subject, asking, "When did the teacher pass away?"
Thomas, who was forking a buttered mushroom, looked saddened. "About six months ago—the teacher was old and frail, but he insisted on picking grapes himself. He slipped and fell down the slope. His brothers found him and carried him back, but he remained unconscious in bed for three days before passing away."
John drew the seven stars on his chest and said sadly, "May he rest in peace in the embrace of the Seven Gods."
"And who has taken over the teacher's place now?" he asked curiously.
Thomas replied, "It's Brother Hayden, but he didn't stay long before going to King's Landing with Dean Brian and hasn't returned. Now Master Matthew is in charge of the daily affairs, and I'm his assistant. Things are going fairly smoothly."
John exclaimed, "I never imagined Dean Brian had such connections—"
"He has no connections whatsoever!"
Thomas realized his voice was a bit loud and quickly lowered it, saying in a low voice, "He donated the best batches of wine from our abbey from the past two years to the church in King's Landing for free, and that's how he got this opportunity. Apparently he plans to make himself a bishop in the royal domain. Sigh—if he succeeds, I doubt we'll even keep all the wine we've stored from the year before last."
John sighed, "If our teacher were still alive, he wouldn't allow him to act so recklessly."
Thomas echoed, "Yes, so until our teacher passed away… only then would I dare to covet those cellars."
Then Thomas changed the subject. "And you—have you gone home? I remember your home is in Treebark Village."
John replied, "Yes, I have. The first thing I did upon returning was to go to the village to see my father, but I couldn't find him. The neighbors said that not long after the war began, my father took my younger siblings and fled to King's Landing, so I came up empty-handed."
Thomas nodded. "Going to King's Landing is good. With war raging, at least you can save your life there."
John continued, "Yes—I came from…" "Along the way from Riverrun, every few steps there are newly built graves. Displaced refugees, with their families in tow, search for safety but find it difficult to find. Once-crowded villages are now deserted, and the sanctuaries built within them are empty."
Thomas, upon hearing this, said angrily, "I heard that the Lannister family doesn't even spare monks and nuns—did you know that?"
John replied heavily, "Yes, I've seen it. When I passed by the Muddy Swamp, I heard from survivors that the brothers in the sanctuary there had all been killed, all the sacred artifacts in the sanctuary had been stolen, even the icons…" "They didn't even spare the gold leaf; it was all scraped clean."
Thomas cursed through gritted teeth, "A bunch of beasts! These Riverlands lords are all useless; I wonder if all the pay they've received over the years has gone to waste."
John added, "Duke Hoster is old. When I was in Riverrun, I heard he was bedridden and unable to attend to state affairs.
His son, Ser Edmure, didn't inherit his military talent; the Riverlands army suffered repeated defeats, losing all its elite troops. The Riverlands nobles now are lucky to even keep their own lives, let alone protect their territories."
"What? They can't even protect their own people? What's the point of having these damn nobles?" As a native of the Riverlands, Thomas couldn't help but curse.
He then asked, "Have you dealt with the Northern army? I've heard that Robb Stark, the Young Wolf, is a formidable warrior who can transform into a giant wolf and kill his enemies."
John replied, "No, not at all. I came back from Winterfell with the Northern army. I was in the army camp when the Northerners defeated the Westerlands outside Riverrun, and I even saw Robb from afar. He's a very dignified young man. There are indeed wolves, but they are his pets, not his own transformations."
Thomas sighed and said, "Whether it's the lords of the North or the West, I just hope they decide their fate quickly, otherwise the entire Riverlands will be reduced to ruins."
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