iron throne of ice and fire

Chapter 654 King's Camp
Duke Mays stormed into the hall. However, when he saw the imposing figure of the wolf, his breath caught in his throat.

The Duke of Winterfell looked over with his icy grey eyes and nodded slightly at him: "Good day, Hand of Tyrell."

Duke Mace paused expressionlessly, then nodded stiffly with his chin: "Duke Stark, welcome."

Soon, his anger prevailed, and he couldn't help but say sarcastically, "You're quite lucky. Where's Stannis's head?"

After a pause, Duke Eddard frowned and asked, "Stannis's head?"

Upon hearing this, the Duke of Mace's cheeks bulged violently, and he nearly jumped up and down on the spot: "Duke Stark, you're not trying to deceive me! You've stolen the credit that rightfully belongs to me! Stark, I will personally report your treacherous deeds to the King and Queen!"

The wolf's sharp gaze suddenly shot over, causing Duke Mace to catch his breath once more...

Then he got even angrier: "Stark, this isn't over!"

Duke Eddard frowned deeply: "Duke of Highgarden, please calm down. I didn't even meet Stannis. I have no reason to lie to you."

The tall, imposing figure of the wolf strode forward, and Duke Mays barely managed to suppress the urge to back away.

Duke Ed walked straight past Duke Mace and headed to the other side, where... a rough map of the North hung.

Standing before the map, Duke Ed's gaze slowly swept across it, finally settling on the location of Black Castle: "Where could he have gone?"

After a pause, Duke Mace asked in a daze, "You really didn't capture Stannis?"

As he spoke, a hint of excitement crept into his voice. He suddenly realized that Stark's character was, to some extent, trustworthy.

Duke Ed merely glanced at her without replying, which completely improved Duke Mace's mood.

He laughed heartily: "Stannis, that rat, well, he's really cunning."

Then he went to Duke Ed's side, twirling his meticulously trimmed triangular beard, and looked at the map as well: "Where could he possibly run off to..."

As he spoke, he patted Benlang's arm affectionately: "Leave the rest to me. You just stay here and rest, and enjoy the fine wines and delicacies of the River Bend."

He sighed, patted the wolf again, and said sincerely, "You've worked hard these past few days. Don't worry, I will bring peace to the North."

"..."

Duke Eddard was silent for a moment before speaking: "Prime Minister Tyrell, have you found out Stannis's whereabouts?"

Upon hearing this, a hint of wariness flashed in Duke Mace's eyes, but he still decided to be honest—he needed to find Stannis as soon as possible.

As long as Stark doesn't try to take Stannis's head, as Hand of the King, Duke Mace is willing to generously share some credit, provided... Stark obediently assists.

He raised his arm, his thick fingers tracing a line southwest from the Wall: "As far as I know, Stannis took all his cavalry and slipped away last night towards Crowntown..."

[Houcrown is an abandoned village south of the Wall, named after Alyssa Targaryen, queen of Jaehaerys I, who is said to have stayed there.]

Duke Ed frowned upon hearing this: "Southward?"

Then, his eyes narrowed slightly, and his gaze traveled south along the Kingsroad, past the Long Lake and the Wolfwood, finally stopping at the location of Winterfell.

After a pause, Duke Eddard's broad chest rose and fell slowly as he said in a deep voice to the person beside him, "Hand of Tyrell, Stannis's target... is very likely the King."

Upon hearing this, Duke Mace's eyes widened in disbelief: "How is this possible? Stannis isn't... oh, no, he's a madman!"

His tone became slightly flustered: "That's right, he can find the king, he knows where the king is!"

Duke Ed nodded: "Yes, this is the most dangerous situation, and we must warn the King immediately."

Seeing that Ed was about to leave after speaking, Duke Mace quickly stretched out his hand to stop him: "Let's go together! We'll only take cavalry and join forces to stop him. We can't let Stannis succeed!"

After a moment of eye contact, Duke Ed slowly spoke, "Alright."

…………

……

...

Northeast of Wolf Forest, the King's Camp at dusk.

Inside the tent, the charcoal fire crackled in the brazier, sparks flying up and falling intermittently. Leaning back in a folding chair, Green Clayber leisurely extended two fingers and placed them on Arya's forehead, stopping her from trying to snuggle into his arms.

The little wolf girl's face immediately puffed up: "Green, we're good friends."

"They are good friends."

With a slight shift in his eyes, Green added, "But you are already eleven years old, Miss Stark."

Arya pouted, broke free from Green's grip, and plopped back into her chair.

"I hate being a girl!"

Arya angrily took off her slightly damp fur boots, tossed them aside, and stretched her little feet into the brazier, warming them in the flickering flames.

"Ricken is getting stronger and stronger, and he'll soon be able to surpass me because he's a boy. Also, a lot of people don't want to play with me anymore, it's different from before, I know that."

Then, the little wolf girl glared fiercely at Green, who was listening quietly, with her clear yet stubborn big eyes: "You're the same way!"

After a pause, Green asked her instead, "My Arya, you're not envious of... well, of the daughter of a hunter or a farmer or something, are you?"

Arya's eyes widened: "Why should I envy them?"

Green let out a somewhat exaggerated sigh of relief: "That's good..."

His appearance made the little wolf girl instantly forget her earlier "reflections," and she clenched her little fist and pounced on him.

Unfortunately, her forehead was firmly pressed down by Green's hand, and no matter how much she struggled, she couldn't get any closer.

After struggling for a while, the little wolf girl finally gave up, sat back in her chair, stomped her feet, and couldn't help but complain, "Why are you always faster than me?"

She stretched her little feet towards the brazier again, her toes spreading and then coming together: "I don't envy other people's lives, I love my family..."

Then she pouted again: "...except for Sansa."

Picking up the wine bag, Green uncorked it, took a sip, and slowly said, "Yes, you don't need to envy others."

Upon hearing this, Arya's little face scrunched up: "Grin, your words of comfort are really special. Thank you out of politeness."

She suddenly chuckled: "However, you are better than the Duke of Winterfell. My father always just says..."

Then, she cleared her throat and mimicked Duke Eddard's composed tone: "Ahem, Arya, wolves live in packs, wolves die alone."

Green looked up and smiled: "This is indeed Duke Ned."

They laughed together for a while, then Arya struggled to put her boots back on, suddenly looking up and asking, "Grimm, are you going to kill someone?"

Green's gaze shifted to Arya, one of his eyebrows raised slightly: "How did you know?"

"I got it right."

Arya's face couldn't hide her pride: "My father personally executes prisoners every year. Before he does it, he also has the same feeling you're having now, um, the same feeling I have, it's very familiar to me."

"You're really sharp."

Green shrugged, took a swig of wine, and slowly said, "If nothing unexpected happens, some traitors will indeed be executed soon."

Arya tilted her head and looked at him for a moment. Seeing that Green didn't intend to say anything more, she pouted with her puffed-up cheeks and said, "Okay, I shouldn't have been curious, Your Majesty Green."

Green's lips curved slightly as he reached out and ruffled Arya's fluffy head: "Don't be curious. You'll find out sooner or later. Just consider it a test of your patience. It's a required course for every swordsman."

Arya's eyes lit up, and she nodded emphatically: "I will definitely become the strongest swordsman in the Seven Kingdoms!"

Green smiled and patted her: "Then the future of the kingdom depends on you to protect it."

"Ok!"

Arya flashed him a pure smile, revealing two rows of white teeth.

(End of this chapter)