"The Governor of Old Oak approaches!" The young knight, bearing a boar upon his surcoat, deliberately announced Garlan's arrival in a voice that carried throughout the pavilion.
Instantly, dozens of eyes within the great tent turned toward Garlan Tyrell as he entered.
Garlan advanced in stoic silence.
According to His Grace's administrative reorganization, Old Oak had been placed under Westerlands authority, and Garlan, as Governor, now served directly beneath Lord Tywin's command.
Every gaze remained fixed upon him as he approached.
Garlan walked to Lord Tywin's field desk and knelt upon one knee. "Your Grace, I am Garlan, representing Old Oak, and I await your commands with respectful obedience."
Lord Tywin responded with stern formality. "Governor Garlan, please rise."
Garlan stood and, after surveying the assembled company briefly, joined the dense ranks of nobles—positioning himself neither conspicuously close nor deliberately distant from the Lord of Casterly Rock.
Gradually, attention shifted away from his presence.
None spoke; the command tent remained quietly expectant.
Occasionally, someone would enter from outside, offering simple bows to Lord Tywin and the other lords before quietly taking their assigned places, awaiting the council's commencement.
Garlan observed in contemplative silence.
Lord Roland Crakehall, Earl of Crakehall, stood foremost at Lord Tywin's left hand. Behind him gathered three knights of roughly Garlan's age—obviously his sons attending in full force.
Dark brown field bearing a black and white boar. Studying the heraldry upon their armor, Garlan recalled the knight who had announced his arrival at the pavilion's entrance.
That man had addressed him only as "Governor of Old Oak," omitting even his family name.
Lord Tywin had likewise called him "Governor Garlan."
Garlan understood the deliberate slight. Here, he could claim no identity save that of Tywin Lannister's subordinate—the Governor of Old Oak, target of the newly dead's inevitable vengeance.
Even should he personally shed not a single drop of blood.
Scanning the assembly, he wondered how many present would willingly eliminate stubborn elements and hidden threats on his behalf, helping reorganize Old Oak under new authority.
Nearly all bore the proud heraldry of Westerlands houses.
Directly across from Garlan stood a knight in white armor, a golden longbow engraved upon his breastplate. This represented House Uffering, whose ancient lineage traced back to "Blind Bowman Alan of the Oakenford" from the Age of Heroes. They remained renowned archers still, possessed of extraordinary skill.
Before the golden longbow stood a man wearing a black hood upon his helm.
House Banefort of the Banefort, who had once inherited the crown of the "Hooded King"—a reign that ended at the hands of Loren the First, the King of the Rock, called "Loren the Last."
Though they had lost kingdom and crown, House Banefort remained prosperous and powerful to this day.
There was also the peacock with tail spread—House Serrett of Silverhill; the white badger—House Lefford of the Golden Tooth; the red ox—House Prester of Feastfires; the white seashell—House Westerling of the Crag...
All prominent families from the western, southern, and central Westerlands had assembled, including the purple unicorn of House Brax of Hornvale.
Lord Andros Brax stood with seven or eight young men arrayed behind him, as if the entire house had mustered for this campaign.
Beyond these great lords stood additional banners.
Next to the unicorn flew the orange-gold burning tree of House Marbrand of Ashemark.
Lord Damon Marbrand had not brought his heir, yet Garlan knew that Addam Marbrand had already demonstrated his "talents" during the action at Stone Hedge.
Though the cavalry that had raided Stone Hedge consisted mostly of nobles from the Vale and Riverlands, Addam Marbrand and other Westermen had participated fully in tactical planning and troop movements, successfully completing assignments to eliminate sentries and scouts. Their contributions equaled those from the northern kingdoms.
Moreover, many of those original participants were already dead—fallen to daggers, swords, spears, and arrows that had emerged from darkness in unknown places.
Garlan's gaze found several green arrows representing House Sarsfield of Sarsfield, who had also brought numerous elite archers.
For countless years, bows and arrows had proven indispensable weapons for both field battles and siege defense.
The advantaged side employed long-range archery to minimize casualties while scouting enemy positions. The disadvantaged used arrows for ambush tactics and reversing battle's tide.
For all soldiers, arrows falling like rain represented a terrifying nightmare.
Yet today, would traditional archery retain its effectiveness?
Garlan studied three warriors bearing six-pointed star banners gathered together—Kingsguard, though all three faces appeared entirely ordinary, and he recognized none of them.
How will Old Oak be taken? How much resentment will I bear?
The tent maintained its expectant quiet as people gradually filled available space. Garlan felt surrounded by a vast army while standing alone, awaiting harsh judgment.
Huff... Huff...
Approaching footsteps drew closer from behind. Garlan turned sharply to discover Ser Robar Royce, who had entered before him.
Ser Robar offered an encouraging smile.
Ding~
Garlan focused and opened his light screen interface. Ser Robar had transmitted a private message.
Through this communication, Garlan learned crucial intelligence:
Lord Tywin's thirty thousand troops were not simply waiting idle outside Old Oak's walls.
During recent days, scouting vanguards organized in century-strength units had spread throughout the extensive region between Old Oak and Goldengrove, surveying military intelligence at each location while preparing for subsequent operations.
Old Oak was far from as calm as surface appearances suggested.
The day before the siege commenced, Old Oak had received reports that King Joffrey's Kingsguard had smoothly occupied Highgarden. Consequently, they canceled plans for decisive field battle, instead contracting forces within the city to await terms of surrender.
However, Lord Tywin had led his host to surround Old Oak without making any demands for negotiation, shooting down every raven the fortress attempted to send or receive.
Old Oak had thus become an ignorant, isolated stronghold.
Before long, lords and knights grew increasingly uneasy as oppressive atmosphere settled over the castle.
Rumors spread rapidly within the walls.
Many speculated with growing horror: Highgarden had been annihilated by King Joffrey, and the Westerlands intended to seize the entire Reach, sparing no one!
Others clung to desperate hope: Perhaps His Grace desired to personally accept Old Oak's surrender, so he had ordered the army to wait. Maybe the King would arrive soon—they need only display patience.
Some embraced decadent resignation: While the city remained stable and supplies sufficient, they might as well enjoy the present and worry about future consequences later.
There were also those who...
Regardless, the population collectively hoped for successful surrender.
The allied forces' commander, Lord Mathis Rowan, dispatched negotiation teams from the city daily to seek terms and gather intelligence, yet Lord Tywin detained them all—none returned.
Lady Arwyn Oakheart maintained relatively defiant attitude, proposing sortie from the city for open battle.
Her reasoning seemed sound: If they achieved victory, they could demonstrate strength and win Lord Tywin's attention plus meaningful concessions. If they suffered defeat, they could seize opportunity to end resistance, kneel in submission—surely the opposing side would not refuse such terms.
The strategy sounded reasonable, yet many knights remained hesitant. After all, genuine risk was involved. Why hazard their lives for a war already lost?
Lord Mathis Rowan had remained silent, and thus the matter died without action.
They had endured until this very day.
King Joffrey's fleet appeared upon the distant sea, and among troops landing from those ships flew the golden rose banners of Highgarden itself.
Lord Tywin had finally sent formal declaration:
"By order of His Majesty, Garlan Tyrell is hereby appointed Second Governor of Old Oak, with full authority to administer Old Oak and its subordinate territories, henceforth under the governance of the First Governor of Casterly Rock, responsible to the Royal Family and Crown."
"Governor Garlan," Lord Tywin set aside the parchment in his hands, "do you understand your position?"
Garlan knelt once more. "Yes, Your Grace."
"Then let this council begin."