Eagle of the Valley of Ice and Fire

More than 2,000 careless troops from the Borderland slowly approached the territory of Storm's End. They did not even plunder villages along the way, but chose to send several scouts to various lords' manors to borrow food in the name of the Iron Throne.

They were unwilling to commit any violation of the Iron Throne's laws when the Iron Throne and Harrenhal were unclear about their attitudes towards them. Caution was the choice of the Borderland lords.

The Borderland was in ruins. The Lord of Nightsong had only 300 to 500 troops. The troops assembled in Black Harbor and Harvest Hall exceeded this number, but there were only a total of more than 2,000 troops.

No lord was interested in retaking the legendary castle of Storm's End. Just looking at the castle's towering shadow and tall walls was enough to scare away almost all armies in the known world.

Besiege but not attack, this was the consensus reached by all the Borderland lords before Ser Barristan Selmy, the captain of the Kingsguard, arrived here to serve as the commander.

But in fact, the execution was very general. Only Beric Dondarrion of Black Harbor led the cavalry to survey the terrain around Storm's End day and night, and tried to place sentries on the hills that stretched in all directions to prevent the defenders of Storm's End from easily breaking out.

But this was actually futile. There were still many ships and sails hidden in Storm's End. Although the lords of Tarth Island also pledged their loyalty to the Iron Throne, they had always been ambiguous about Storm's End. If the defenders inside really wanted to escape, they would have no way to surround it without a navy, so the lords of the border areas were very unmotivated.

Earl Bryce Cullen of Nightsong City leaned on his sword and stood on the inclined rock formation at the junction of the hills and farmland. His servants planted the nightingale flag of the Cullen family in the soft soil not far in front of him, and it fluttered in the wind like a large nightingale flapping its wings and flying on the rock formation.

The bard accompanying the army sang songs next to the Earl of Nightsong City.

Beric Dondarrion came with the army, jumped off the saddle, held the short spear on it, and stroked the hair of the borderland horse, repeatedly to comfort him.

The army of Earl Astan Selmy of Harvest Hall rushed here from the Kingsroad. There was no resistance on the way, and even bandits were not seen.

He brought almost all the troops of the Selmy family, leaving only four or five guards to guard Harvest Hall.

"It corresponds to the motto of the Cullen family," said Astan, looking at Bryce Cullen, who was standing alone on the rock. "'Sweet as a song', I think their ancestors liked to listen to minstrels singing."

Berry shook his head and took the lead to lead the horse to Earl Cullen. "The knights of the borderland are all like this, reciting war songs, waving long swords, in the name of warriors."

"What song is he singing? It sounds very sad." Astan Selmy listened to the sad tune, took the wine skin from his waist, poured a sip into his mouth, moistened his dry lips, reached behind him, pulled the cloak in front of him and wrapped his cold hands.

"A sad song." Bryce Cullen responded briefly.

Astan's hands squeezed hard in the cloak twice, and he didn't say anything else.

The minstrel stopped on his own initiative, "I came from the north, traveling all the way. There was a bastard who was executed, tied to a tree stump, and his flesh and blood were pecked by crows. This is a song about him."

"Don't stop." Bryce Cullen reminded.

"Keep going." Astan seemed to be unsatisfied.

The singer carefully looked at the two of them and chose to narrate with emotion while playing the harp:

"There was a boy who was very miserable. He was born in a bastard. He was hungry in the troubled times and ran to the village to steal. He was caught and tried by the villagers. He was tied to a tree stump and pecked to death by black birds~"

"What's his name?" Beric Dondarrion chose to respect the dead, at least knowing his name.

"Edric Storm~" The singer stretched out the last word.

Arstan Selmy looked at Beric uneasily, "I remember that King Robert had a bastard son in Storm's End, with the same name as this boy."

"That's him," said Bryce Cullen, his orange cloak fluttering behind him, "My guards have been to Storm's End with me and met him a few times. He saw him when he went to explore the village."

"I didn't see him on the way here." Arstan Selmy looked at the map and frowned. He was obviously stationed here earlier than the Cullen family.

Bryce Cullen smiled, looked up at him, left a sentence "I don't blame you" and got up and left.

Astan was stunned, and only said "Damn it" when Bryce Cullen walked away.

Berry didn't say much, and caught up with Bryce Cullen, "We have to discuss the march. If we gather for too long, something might happen. Winter is coming, and the lords here should at least keep food for the winter."

Bryce Cullen shook his head, "We don't know how many people there are in Storm's End."

"There was no resistance along the way, which means the army is insufficient." Bryce responded.

"Maybe it's a strategy to lure the enemy. Besides," Bryce said as he walked, "even if there are only a hundred people guarding Storm's End, our army is quite insufficient."

"Then we just wait like this? You are the commander of the border." Bryce Dondarrion frowned and asked.

Bryce continued to shake his head, "Do you have any news about Stonehelm?"

"Earl Sven said that there are bandits in the rainforest territory, and his army needs to suppress the bandits."

"Nonsense," Bryce Cullen denied, "Why at this time?"

Berry closed his mouth and chose to think silently.

The scout cavalry came "thump thump thump" with dust, and the flags of different families mixed together like a symphony.

The two of them walked through the military camp with their faces covered in dust and entered the temporary command tent.

"The Dornishmen will help us," Beric Dondarrion said as if chewing mole meat that had gone rancid over time. "They may have far more troops than we do."

Bryce Cullen touched his chin and hesitated for a moment, "Except for some furniture being burned, nothing seems to have been lost in Night Song City."

"There are innocent people on your farm," Berry reminded.

"The Dornish people are not allowed to set foot in the Borderlands, let alone Storm's End? This is the heart of the Stormlands, and I'm afraid even the grasshoppers underfoot will not allow this to happen," Bryce Cullen analyzed, "But Dornish Castle is the heart of the Stormlands." The benefactor has indeed received the promise of the Iron Throne."

"I'm afraid Attis Arryn doesn't know about the rift. This is normal. As long as we release a few ravens, this matter can be solved." Berry said.

Bryce raised his eyes, a little disbelieving, "The Dornish people offered to help us take Storm's End Castle. This is equivalent to voting for a certificate. It is normal for the Prime Minister to agree."

"Ser Barristan is gathering troops in King's Landing. The king and some people from the valley will join the war, not to mention the princes loyal to the royal family in the Stormlands are also gearing up." Berry wanted to boost morale.

"The Blackwater River was defeated, but not completely. After all the navy was controlled by the Onion Knight and Roland, most of the Stormland army had to be led around," Bryce Cullen said, "Nightsong Two-thirds of the city's army is in the hands of Roland Storm, as well as the Stormland army who is threatened by him. In this situation, the Lord of Stormland is still thinking about how to survive the winter. "He held on with both hands. At the desk, his tone was calm, not sure whether he was sullen or not.

"Should we wait until Ser Barristan arrives before making a decision?"

"No," Bryce Cullen rejected Berry's proposal, "let's go and persuade them to surrender before the Dornish people do."