Winterfell, Great Hall.
The fire roared in the huge stone fireplace, but it could not dispel the chill seeping in through the cracks in the doors and windows, nor the invisible tension that permeated the air.
Several Skaghurs, who were out of place among the Northerners, stood in the center of the hall, staring at Sansa, who sat on the high seat, with puzzled expressions, as if wondering why a girl was sitting there.
Their aggressive gazes made Sansa slightly nervous; her hands, resting on her knees, tightened slightly, and she subconsciously glanced at Galon and Maester Luwin.
The maester stood beside her, while Galon stood slightly ahead, calmly gazing at the group of Skaggs.
Noticing their savage gazes, he knew that these Skaggs, more barbaric than savages, looked down on women.
"Sitting before you is Lady Sansa Stark, the Acting Lord of Winterfell!"
"Aren't you going to bow?"
To uphold Sansa's dignity, Garon stepped forward and spoke in a cold voice.
Sparta was relieved, and then realized that the girl in front of him was indeed a Stark.
His heart sank, and a look of disdain and doubt flashed in his eyes as he looked at Sansa. He wondered if coming all the way to Winterfell was a mistake.
"Since we're already here, for the sake of the tribe, let's kneel first," Sparta said, following the elders' instructions before they arrived. "Sparta, chieftain of Skaggs, greets Lord Stark!"
He bowed, and the guards behind him followed suit.
Sansa tried to remain calm. "Please rise. What do you mean by requesting reinforcements? Is someone attacking Skaggs Island?"
A flicker of anxiety crossed Sparta's eyes, and his voice began to grow somber.
"No—the great Stark, he is a dragon!"
"That monster has been entrenched on our island for over a hundred years, burning down our villages and preying on our people."
"Skaggs: bleeding, dying."
"We cannot fight this ancient evil alone, Lord Stark!"
A hopeful look appeared on his face. "Following the oldest covenant, we have crossed the sea to beg for your help. Please help us hunt that dragon!"
[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: 101s.tw]
The hall was completely silent.
Sansa looked shocked, and Maester Luwin said in disbelief, "You mean... a dragon?"
Sparta nodded solemnly.
"That's right, it's a dragon. I urge Stark, in memory of the ancient oath, to send troops to help us hunt the dragon."
"As the leader of the Skaghurs, I promise that as long as that dragon is driven away, our twenty thousand Skaghurs will be at the Stark's mercy!"
A sharp glint flashed in Galon's eyes.
The moment he heard the word "dragon," all the clues in his mind—the Skaggs dragon and Euron's relentless, frenzied attack—collided and connected, sparking an astonishing synergy.
"No wonder Euron appeared in the North so quickly, no wonder he's going all in to fight Winterfell so desperately..."
"Did he also know that there are dragons on Skaggs Island?"
"So that's why you persuaded Baron to launch a three-pronged attack on the North, in order to cross the North and reach Skaggs Island to capture the dragon?"
This thought pierced Galon's mind like an ice pick, instantly revealing Euron's entire plan to him.
"If that's the case, then everything makes sense!"
Just as Galon was deep in thought, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall, and a servant guarding the crow's nest rushed in.
"Lady Sansa, a letter from the Iron Islands!"
Sparta looked anxious and wanted to say something, but Galon forced him back with his burning gaze.
Galon quickly stepped forward and took the letter first.
A few short lines of text caught his eye.
"The Iron Islands... Lord Euron Greyjoy?!"
His pupils contracted as an unbelievable thought surged into his mind—Baron was dead!
Galon handed the letter to Sansa, who also realized this, and her expression changed drastically once again.
Upon seeing this, Lu Wen asked, "What did the letter say?"
"On the surface, it appears to be seeking peace... but the wording is arrogant, and the willingness to negotiate is not high."
"And Euron the Crow-Eye seems to have become the King of the Iron Islands?"
Upon hearing Sansa's words, Maester Luwin was startled.
"What?"
He exclaimed in surprise, leaving Sparta and the others puzzled.
"The time has come!"
"This is truly a godsend! With this news, I don't believe you, Asha, can remain calm!"
Almost at the same time, Galon, having figured everything out, could no longer contain himself and quickly turned to Sansa and said.
"Miss Sansa, Maester Luwin"
"Please make sure Skaggs' friends are settled properly first; their request is of great importance and we need to discuss it carefully."
"As for this letter, I need to have a proper talk with our guest—Asha Greyjoy!"
Trusting Galon's wisdom, Sansa handed him the letter, and then, following Galon's suggestion, let the Spartans and the others rest for the time being.
The three men's rapid conversation left Sparta and the others puzzled, completely unaware of what had happened.
But Sparta was certain of one thing: the person who was truly making the decisions in Winterfell was Galon, who had just welcomed them!
Galon ignored Sparta and the others for the time being. He took the letter and left Jon and the others to protect Sansa and the others.
He turned around and strode out of the hall, heading towards the dungeon where Asha was imprisoned.
"Baron's death and Euron's ascension—it's all too coincidental."
"If nothing unexpected happens, it's highly likely that Euron murdered his own father."
"If I can persuade Asha to return to the Iron Islands to reclaim the Seastone, I can seize Euron's Dragon Horn, and then go to Skaggs to control the dragons...:..."
"
Galon's steps were steady, but his heart was churning like ocean waves.
The question is, how do we convince her?
"And how to help her reclaim the Iron Islands, and also consider whether Asha will turn against us after gaining her freedom..."
He keenly sensed that this was the best opportunity to conquer the Iron Islands, but he also understood that this best opportunity came with enormous risks.
"I won the gamble. The Dragonhorn and the Iron Islands are now in my hands. From now on, the road ahead will be smooth sailing."
"If you lose the bet, then it's all over. You might not even be able to save your own life!"
Galon did not stop; he made a decisive decision in the blink of an eye.
"Time waits for no one!"
"With my resources, the only way to seize the Iron Throne is to seize every opportunity!"
"Let's gamble!"
A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and he quickened his pace once more.
Meanwhile, inside the dungeon room.
Asha was gazing at the gray sky outside the small window.
She was under house arrest here, and her treatment was acceptable, but the humiliation of losing her freedom and the worry about the fate of her family gnawed at her heart at all times.
Just as Asha was worrying, a steady footstep sound came from the dungeon.
Then, the door was pushed open.
A familiar figure appeared at the door; it was Galon.
Asha squinted slightly; Galon was backlit, making it impossible for her to see his expression.
"Glover?"
Asha snorted coldly, forcibly maintaining her arrogance. "I thought you had died on the battlefield and couldn't come back to see me." Galon's lips curled up slightly. Ignoring her provocation, he turned around and closed the door, slamming the letter onto the wooden table in the center of the room.
The air in the room froze instantly.
"Look at this, Asha!"
His voice was eerily calm, "Your dear uncle, King Euron, has sent a letter!"
In an instant, Asha was struck dumb.