Eagle of the Valley of Ice and Fire.

Chapter 322: Meeting at Storm's End

Seagulls rarely set foot on the mountains and cliffs around Storm's End. The instinct ingrained in their blood makes them tense, flap their wings, and keep their sharp eyes alert in case a sudden storm breaks the tree they are staying on, or a huge wave hits them without warning and sweeps them into the sea.

Most birds, like seagulls, do not dare to venture too far into the area surrounding Storm's End. In their unintelligent minds, they vaguely know the dangers of this human fortress. The smooth curved walls seem to be shrouded in an ancient power.

"Except for the raven." Scholar Juna had a dry throat and couldn't stop chattering when he saw the raven. He excitedly moved his chair away, opened the window, and led the raven in.

"My dear, you have suffered a lot along the way, little one." Maester Juna stroked the tuft of hair on the raven's head and whispered to it as if he was coaxing a baby. "These little ones are smarter than humans. They can tell when the thousand-year-old gale outside Storm's End will stop and when it will start again."

Juna's assistant stood timidly by the side, carefully protecting the candle. He was really scared by the maester's rash opening of the window just now, and he didn't want to start a fire in Storm's End.

He looked at the hay on the ground and the wooden furniture around him and couldn't help feeling a little scared.

"Hey, you idiot!" Zhuna almost hit him on the nose with a whip, "Why don't you get some water?"

The assistant held the candle steady and stumbled out of the door. "The kettle is next door!" he shouted.

Juna chased the young man away, curled up comfortably on the couch, and focused his eyes on the letter tied to the raven's claws.

Storm's End, the Council Hall.

Sir Gilbert Farling's temples were already gray, but women from the East Continent would definitely think that Sir Farling had dyed his hair. Two silver strands started from his forehead and extended to his ears, circling half a circle. His hair was combed very neatly, and the lacquer was shiny, just like the shining short spear in his left hand.

At this moment, his mood was like a huge stone weighing a thousand pounds, sinking heavily from the cliff into the valley.

There was a lot of noise around, as almost all the nobles of Storm's End gathered in this meeting hall.

Sir Lomas Easmond was impassioned. He knocked on the table angrily, "My son Andrew followed the king into the war, and his life or death is unknown. You didn't let my servants go to the royal forest to look for him, and you didn't let the army leave the city to fight those traitors. Instead, you have been playing deaf and dumb here. Are you all cowards?!" He was trembling all over, and the Turtle Medal on his chest was spinning back and forth, like a turtle crawling comically on his chest.

"My lord, I remember that there are dozens of capable fighters on Isle of Ethmon. Why don't you bring them to guard Storm's End?"

Sir Romas' face suddenly turned red. "My father is old. If no one takes care of him, it will be a disaster."

"Aren't you still a vassal of the king no matter how old you are?"

"You are talking nonsense!"

Elwood Maydo closed his mouth carefully, his eyes always fixed on the silent Sir Gilbert Farling, holding a silver fork with a piece of tender steak stuck on it for a long time.

Romas pointed at the letter on the table. "Euron Greyjoy conquered Oldtown. By the grace of the Seven, these Ironborn conquered the Greenlands. The Iron Throne and that damned Artis Arryn cannot possibly focus on Storm's End. Those cowards from the Borderlands outside the castle only dare to wander around the hills with their scouts every day, not even daring to touch the city walls. They may have received an order to act as a detour. I see, all the troops in the Vale are gathering and heading for the Reach!"

"Only the gods know if this was a trick of Arryn. How could the raven not have been shot down?"

"This is Storm's End. The strong wind outside will tell you why the raven was able to come in. What kind of coward would focus on the wind and dust in the sky instead of the prostitute in the tent?" Lomas sneered and glared at the knight who refuted him.

Mocking laughter soon spread throughout the hall, shaking the dessert plates on the table. As if sensing something was wrong with the noise, everyone's attention quickly shifted from the quarrel to the silent Ser Gilbert Farring, who was the acting lord of Storm's End appointed by King Stannis himself.

Realizing the change in everyone's attitude, Gilbert came to his senses, rolled his eyes, glanced at everyone, and finally looked at Elwood Maydo, the hero who betrayed Renly and gave up the castle.

"Lord Meidou," Gilbert Farling stared at his face, "why don't you put down the steak? I want to hear your opinion."

He didn't believe that Earl Meidou, who always had a lot of ideas, had no opinions at this moment. Just now, among the people around him who were silent, besides himself, the only one was Earl Meidou.

Elwood Meidou seemed to be suddenly awakened from his trance, his lips dragged together unnaturally, and he uttered a hesitant sound: "Ah, ah, this, I, I..."

The people around him looked at him suspiciously, "Could it be that because of Sir Lomas's description just now, Count Meidou fell into fantasy about women?"

"Hahahahahaha!" Another round of laughter.

"No, no, no," Count Meidou seemed to be angry, panting and waving his hands, "No matter what happens outside, it will be safe to stay in Storm's End."

"Coward!" Sir Romas sneered.

Count Meidou couldn't help laughing, sneered, and swallowed the steak in one gulp, with the sauce flowing down his jaw and dripping onto the table.

Gilbert Fallin looked around at the crowd, wanting to pry all the thoughts out of their heads.

Ser Romas Esmond was King Stannis' uncle, and his son Andrew Esmond also went with the army and took many enemy heads in the Battle of the Hills and the Battle of the Kingswood. Unfortunately, in the rainy battle that His Majesty personally commanded for the last time, Andrew Esmond disappeared under the attack of Tywin Lannister and Garlan Tyrell. He remembered that this young man was very close to the sword master "Broken Sword" Timon, and it was likely that he served in the scout corps under the command of "Broken Sword" Timon.

What a pity, Gilbert couldn't help but sigh in his heart during that rainy battle. How many brave and fearless soldiers died in that battle where they couldn't tell the difference between rain and blood.

He glanced at the people behind Ser Romas Estermont. Most of them were knights from Dragonstone and the crown. They sat together in groups of two or three, with dazed looks in their eyes. This state had been lingering on the knights since King Stannis was assassinated. Even he was in the same state.
Lord Elwood Maydo is obviously the youngest and the most cunning in the tent, but he is also probably the one who has made the greatest contributions. After all, he presented the entire Storm's End to Your Majesty, even though it was in the form of betrayal of Your Majesty's closest relatives.

"Jim," Stannis seldom addressed people in such a friendly way, but he had called Gilbert that at the beginning. Perhaps he had misremembered the name. "Ellwood Maydo thought I would let him continue to serve as the acting lord of Storm's End, but he was wrong. Storm's End is an isolated castle after I left for the war. No matter how the war goes in the future, this place is likely to be surrounded by heavy siege. It needs a resolute and courageous person here, just like..."

Just like you, Gilbert Fallin thought.

"Like Ser Cortnay Penrose," Stannis said, a name he had not expected.

"In short, you have many people you can trust, including two hundred men in the Storm's End garrison. But you can also trust very few people, especially when food is scarce," Stannis said. "I will fill the warehouses with food and fodder, enough for Storm's End to use for two years. This is the greatest amulet of life. I leave Storm's End in your hands, Ser Faryn."

He knelt in response, and Gilbert thought of the scene at that time. Stannis leaned his sword against his shoulder and left, and left Storm's End with his army the next day.

He would have to be very careful, Gilbert thought.

(End of this chapter)