Game of Thrones: Digger of the Dreadfort

Earl Redford said and handed over the wine glass. He was short in stature, but his capacity for drinking was not bad at all.

"From Dorne." Domeric poured him a glass of wine.

There were candles on the table, and the surroundings were dim.

In the small hall, there were only Earl Redford and Domeric.

"Speaking of it, it's really rare to find it. The taste of Dorne wine is usually not so rich and rich." Domeric smiled.

"Fragrant and melancholy?"

Earl Redford took a sip, drank lightly, and said: "Yes, it is mellow and fragrant. Lord Domeric, your choice of words is really just right."

"I'm glad you think so...but you don't need to call me lord. Lord Redford, you can just call me Domi as you did in the past."

Earl Redford didn't say a word. He didn't know whether Domeric was being polite or sincere.

"By the way, didn't your guard notify me to attend the pre-war meeting?"

"Maybe he heard it wrong. I just want to invite you to a dinner."

"That's it." Earl Redford felt relieved and nodded.

…………

After an aperitif.

Next comes the main meal.

Oxtail soup, summer vegetables with walnuts, grapes, red fennel and crumbled cheese, hot crab pie, spiced pumpkin and creamed quail, each dish is paired with a corresponding sweet soup.

These are all fresh ingredients shipped from Maiden Springs.

Lord Redford said he had never had such a delicious meal in his life.

"Well, maybe I should send this cook to Red Base to cook for you. What do you think?"

"My lord, you are too kind!"

After speaking, the two laughed.

The wine is intoxicating and the cups and plates are in a mess.

"Continued Cup?"

Earl Redford said without realizing it: "Oh, no, no, I can't do it anymore, I...hey, I'm old, I really don't dare to drink too much, otherwise I will get drunk easily."

"It's really easy to get drunk if you drink too much."

Domeric filled Earl Redford's cup to the brim, shrugged and said, "There is a raging war in the river area right now. You must not have been drunk when I sent you to deliver the message, right?"

Earl Redford suddenly glanced at Domeric with some vigilance, and then said with a smile: "To whom should I deliver the letter? Sir Domeric, are you mistaken? You have never sent me to deliver the letter."

"Maybe I made a mistake."

Domeric took a small bite of the crumbled cheese. The cheese was mixed with good wine and had a bit of a choking taste. He then changed the subject, "Do you know Lord Mormont?"

"Are you talking about Lady Mormont, the head of the Bear Island in the north?"

Earl Redford looked puzzled, and the short, strong gray-haired woman wearing gray armor could not help but appear in his mind.

"No, no," Domeric shook his head, "I'm talking about her brother, the current Commander-in-Chief of the Night's Watch at the Wall, Jeor Mormont. When I went to conquer the wildlings outside the Wall half a year ago, he was worried about not being able to find him. Until the right person takes over his position. These days, it is increasingly difficult for the Night Watch to find talented people."

Domeric smiled and said, "If the Night's Watch Legion had a powerful character like you, those Night's Watch brothers would probably sleep more peacefully."

Earl Redford was a little unaccustomed to Domeric's jumping conversation: "You, you really know how to joke!"

"Isn't it?" Domeric said, "But things are unpredictable."

"What's so unexpected?" Earl Redford blinked at Domeric in confusion.

Domeric did not answer, but swung the wine in his glass, "Lord Redford, can I let you guess a riddle?"

He didn't wait for the other party to answer, and said to himself:

“The riddle goes like this: Three people of high status are sitting in a room, one is a king, one is a bishop, and the last one is a wealthy merchant.

There was a mercenary holding a sword in his hand, standing among them. This man was from a humble background and had little talent, but he was extremely skilled in swordsmanship.

Each man of high rank ordered him to kill the other two.

The king said: 'I am your rightful king and I command you to kill them. '

The bishop said: 'In the name of the gods in heaven, I ask you to kill them. '

The wealthy businessman said: 'Kill them and I will give you all my gold, silver and jewelry. '

Please tell me - who will die and who will live? "

"Kings, bishops and wealthy merchants - who dies? who lives? Who do the mercenaries listen to?

This is a riddle with no answer, or in other words, there are too many answers. Everything depends on the mercenary holding the sword. ” Earl Redford sipped his wine thoughtfully.

"But the mercenary is nothing," Domeric said. "He has no crown, no gold and silver jewelry, and no favor from the gods. He only has the sharp sword in his hand."

"But the sword in his hand has the power to decide life and death!" Earl Redford affirmed.

"Yes...but since it is the man with the sword who really decides our life or death, why should we nobles obey the king's orders?"

"Because the king can mobilize other people, and they also hold sharp swords." Earl Redford thought for a while.

"In that case, the real power is those who hold the sword?

Is it true?

Where did their swords come from?

Who do they listen to? "

Domeric smiled slightly, "Some say that knowledge is power, some say that power comes from the gods, and some say that power comes from the law.

Some even say that power comes from the king.

But in King's Landing, King Robert was murdered..."

Earl Redford tilted his head, "You'd better reveal the answer to this damn mystery. My head hurts a little!"

Domeric smiled and said, “Didn’t I just say that?

In fact, power exists in the human heart. Whatever people believe is power, it is power, neither more nor less.

Because everyone believes that the king has power, the king has power. If everyone does not believe that, then the king has lost his power... This power that exists in the human heart is called 'power'! "

Earl Redford frowned more and more.

"Do you know why I was able to defeat Tywin at Harrenhal?" Domeric asked.

"Is it because of your superb command, or because of the 'holy fire sent down by the gods'!"

"Tywin's command is no less than mine, and the 'Holy Fire' only speeds up the process of victory. Even without the Holy Fire, we will defeat Tywin.

The real reason why we won is because of 'power'!

In other words, there are far more people in Westeros who hope that I can win than there are people who hope that Tywin can win.

Because I represent King Robert, Lord Eddard, and now the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms - His Majesty Joffrey, while Tywin Lannister is the regicide and rebel!

This is 'potential'!

In fact, these things are not much different from what you once taught me..."

After talking on the phone, Domeric felt a little thirsty and took a few sips of wine.

"You are so flattering to me. I swear I never taught you these things!"

Earl Redwin shook his head dully.

Domeric said without comment: "Then do you know what choices you have in the face of 'situation'?

In fact, there are only two types!

Either go with it or go against it, but unfortunately you chose the latter..."

At this moment, Earl Redford was dripping with cold sweat and trembling all over.

"I have to admit that you are actually a respectable elder. But you made the wrong choice in the face of the 'general trend'!"

There was the first hint of chill in Domeric's tone.

"Ah," Earl Redford swallowed, "what do you mean..."

Domeric held a letter in his hand and dropped it on the table in front of Earl Redford:

"There is an old fable in distant Asshai: If you want to know something that others don't know, the only way is not to do it yourself!

It's a pity that not only did you do it, but you also fell into the trap. "

Earl Redford picked up the letter tremblingly.

This is a secret letter on parchment with fire paint, and the fire paint has been removed.

A few days before the "Battle of Harrenhal", the coalition's trebuchets were raided by Tywin's cavalry out of the city and all were destroyed.

The entire war situation was in decline, and the allied soldiers in the northern border and the valley were panicked.

Some people are thinking about withdrawing their troops, others are thinking about defecting to Lannister, and even acting as an inside agent for Tywin.

Earl Rayford of Red Base was one of them. The secret message he sent to Tywin from his knight Sir Bart... accidentally fell into the hands of Domeric.

"You have been tried for collaborating with the enemy!

Please rest assured that in order not to bring shame to your family and not to shake the morale of the military, I did not hold a public trial for your crimes.

While we were drinking and eating, a few nobles such as Earl Yohn Royce had already tried Sir Bart under your command, and he had fully confessed his crimes! "

There was fear in Earl Redford's eyes, and his face turned pale for a moment. He begged for mercy: "I... Lord Domeric, you and my sons were brothers! Please take care of them." For my sake, forgive me once..."

"Don't ask me."

Domeric stood up, "I promise you, I won't kill you.

As for the castle of Red Bastion and the title of earl, your eldest son Sir Jaspie will inherit it, and your other three sons Clinton, Jon and Michelle will help him manage the territory..."

Earl Redford's face turned from red to white, "Then, then...then what are you planning to do...?"

"What are we going to do with you?"

Domeric frightened the sanctimonious earl for a while, and then he answered: