Game of Thrones: The Wrath of the Sleeping Dragon

Moreover, there are two dukes and several earls in front of him now. However, old Mormont was also an earl of Bear Island before joining the Night's Watch, and with his position as the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, he does have a chair to sit on here.

He sat down next to the former Lord of Winterfell, Stark, while diagonally opposite him was Stannis Baratheon, the younger brother of King Robert and Lord of Dragonstone.

He had broad shoulders, a tall and straight figure, and skin that had become dark and hard as iron due to long-term sun exposure.

Although Stannis is not very old now, about the same age as Jon Clinton, he looks prematurely aged, with only a row of thin black hair on his head, resembling the shadow of a crown.

His face was resolute, his eyes deep, his lips pale, thin and taut. He sat beside his brother Robert, watching the wildling messenger being driven away once again, without a trace of a smile, his face showing a thoughtful expression.

“These lawless savages should indeed be dealt with with a high-pressure approach, otherwise who knows what kind of chaos they would cause if they were allowed into the Great Wall.”

Stannis began, his tone stiff.

Like Robert and Ed, he was extremely disgusted by these so-called 'freemen' because their freedom was built on the suffering of others.

They don't engage in production; instead, they enjoy plundering. They call this behavior 'freedom'? They even mock the people of the seven kingdoms who diligently and honestly support themselves and their families, calling them "kneeling people."

If Stannis were to follow his temper, these people wouldn't even be qualified to wear black; they should have frozen to death in the cold winds beyond the Great Wall or been killed by those terrifying White Walkers.

Although Robert and Stannis often disagreed on many things, Stannis was unusually refrain from arguing with his brother on this particular matter.

but...

Another point.

"Is this...the Horn of Winter, really something that doesn't exist?"

Stannis looked up and asked, still a little worried.

He heard the savage's messenger speak with great conviction and detail, making it seem as if such a thing truly existed, though he himself was somewhat unsure of its true nature.

"Hmph, why would Brandon the Builder leave behind such a powerful artifact that could destroy the Great Wall, which he painstakingly built?"

Robert, seated in the main seat, took another sip of wine, his face flushed, and waved his hand dismissively.

"If such a thing really existed, why didn't the savages sound it sooner? If the Great Wall had collapsed, they wouldn't have had to continue suffering in such a harsh and cold place."

Robert's words were reasonable and well-founded.

Stannis shook his head upon hearing this. He had only had a slight suspicion before, but now it seemed that the wildlings might really be desperately trying to scare them.

And at this time.

Seated at the back of the meeting hall, Maester Aemon of the Night's Watch rose shakily and began to speak.

"The Horn of Winter... is not something that does not exist."

"My lords and... His Majesty."

The old man had a few bald, messy white hairs, a pair of white, blind eyes, and a hoarse voice.

Although Aemon faced the enemy who had destroyed his family, he was still able to remain calm and even address the enemy as 'Your Majesty'.

Eddard, sitting next to King Robert, raised his head when Maester Aemon suddenly spoke, his eyes narrowing slightly.

He was one of the few people who knew Maester Aemon's true identity, but he wasn't worried that Robert would kill the nearly 100-year-old man.

Robert... shouldn't be that kind of person.

After all, Maester Aemon is Robert's...

Great-grandfather?

For some reason, Ed suddenly seemed a little unsure of himself. The relationships were too complicated, and he couldn't quite figure out how Robert should address this old man.

But then he thought of the mother and son who had died tragically in King's Landing, and suddenly he didn't seem to trust his good brother as much anymore.

He even had a big argument with Robert over this, and then led his troops away from King's Landing to the south to lift the siege of Storm's End, and then went to Dorne to bring back his sister's body.

"Oh?"

Maester Aemon's sudden speech naturally drew the attention of everyone present.

This time, King Robert led a coalition of nobles from the Seven Kingdoms, including not only Stannis and Eddard Stark.

Also present was Earl Yorn Royce of Runestone, from the Vale, who led the Vale's army.

Earl of Lefred, of the Golden Tooth City in the West, leads the army of the West.

Tywin Lannister's brothers were all dead, and he himself did not want to come to the freezing cold Wall, so he could only entrust the army to a mediocre Earl of Goldtooth.

There's also Sir Brynden Tully of the Riverlands, Dorne, the Reach, the Stormlands, and so on... except for the Iron Islands.

However, Dorne has the fewest people, only three hundred. They don't seem to be here to fight, but rather to sightsee at the end of the world.

Now all eyes are on this white-haired old man.

They were unaware of each other's Targaryen identity, and their once silver hair had now turned white.

"And this is...?"

Earl Yorn Royce of Runestone asked with a puzzled look.

He didn't recognize the old man, but he seemed to be a Night's Watchman. A Night's Watchman sitting here must be of high status, and the man was indeed very old. Earl Jon asked in a rather polite tone.

"This is Maester Aemon of the Night's Watch."

At this moment, Mormont, the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, came to Maester Aemon's rescue, explaining the situation.

“The Maester Aemon has served at the Great Wall for decades and is now 93 years old.”

"He was so learned that he had read almost every book left behind by the Night's Watch."

Many of the precious books left behind by the Night's Watch throughout the ages are unique copies that the Citadel does not even have. Therefore, Maester Aemon often writes to the Citadel to exchange ideas.

"Oh, so you are Maester Aemon."

Upon hearing that the old man in front of them was ninety-three years old, everyone present was shocked.

At this age, he's practically a living fossil; they've never heard of anyone living to such an old age.

No matter how outstanding or powerful you are in your youth, you will eventually find that living a long life is the true truth.

Count Lefred also looked shocked, and then asked.

“Well… this old man.”

"You just said... the Horn of Winter is not something that does not exist. What do you mean by that?"

Chapter 266 Reines and Rego

"The Horn of Winter... also known as the 'Horn of Joman' is a legendary magical item."

"There are several legends about its origin, but the most credible one is that it was left behind by Brandon the Builder, according to the Night's Watch Chronicles..."

Then, the white-haired Maester Aemon began to explain, albeit tremblingly.

It details the records about the Horn of Winter, a legendary magical artifact that King Joman of the Frontier found and blew a thousand years ago.

However, after his death, the magical item also disappeared without a trace.

Even now, a thousand years later, the new King Beyond the Wall, Mance Rayder, claims that he too has found the Horn of Winter.

There are many ancient books stored in Castle Black that corroborate the existence of the Horn of Winter, so it can be confirmed that it is indeed real.

However... it remains to be seen whether Mance Rayder has actually found the Horn of Winter.

After Maester Aemon finished speaking, the members of the council hall at Castle Black, including King Robert, the Duke of Winterfell, Stannis, and others, exchanged bewildered glances.

"this..."

Since the Horn of Winter truly exists.

What if... what the King of the Frontier said wasn't a lie either?

He really did find the Horn of Winter…

...

At the remote Wall, the negotiations between the Savages and the Allied Forces became somewhat difficult.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the sea, in Andalus.

wow-

Banners fluttered in the breeze.

Soldiers clad in red and black Targaryen armor with the three-headed dragon emblem were marching in a single file down the main road, stretching far into the distance before being divided into rectangular formations.

They are the Second Legion of House Targaryen, stationed in a desolate mountain camp east of Andalus on the ancient road leading to the Norfolk Mountains. They are personally led by Prince Oberyn of Dorne and are now heading along the Upper Lorne River to provide support to the Fortress of Souls.

The army is advancing slowly with heavy steps.

tata tao...

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves rang out.

A man dressed in sand-yellow soft armor sat atop a pure black warhorse, with a golden spear piercing the sun emblem on his chest.

The warhorse galloped lively along the banks of the Upper Lorne River, its hooves kicking up mud. The man's black curly hair fluttered in the wind, and his deep eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed into the distance before reining in his horse.

"Whoa—"

Oberyn rode his horse up the hillside, his hooves pausing a few times before he turned to look behind him, where a long army was slowly advancing.

Following behind him, another knight in black armor, wielding a double-edged axe, rode up to Oberyn's side.

"Prince Oberon".

The sunlight overhead was a bit dazzling; although it was winter, the sunshine on the Andas Plain was still very strong.

Oberyn squinted slightly, shielding his eyes from the sunlight with his hand, before turning to look at the black-armored knight.

"Count Evan Pass".

Oberyn's eyes were deep-set, his gaze calm and indifferent with a hint of scrutiny. He held the reins with one hand, raised his chin slightly, and spoke.

“I’ve already said that in the legion you should still address me as Legion Commander, not by my title.”

Oberyn thoroughly implemented Viserys's military reforms, and he was an active supporter of this policy. Oberyn believed that Viserys's reforms were indeed very good and could effectively improve the army's combat effectiveness and morale.

Because Viserys' military reforms did not judge merit based on birth, he proactively opened a crack in this system, but did not completely tear it off.

In the Targaryen army today, any commoner, or even a soldier born into slavery and serving in place of his master, has the opportunity to receive land or become a knight as long as he or she has distinguished himself in battle.

Furthermore, in the military, rank was not determined by noble titles.