Riverlands, Lord Harroway's Town
Lord Harroway's town is located at the intersection of the King's Road and the Vale Road, and is a fief of the Lut Family, a noble family in the Riverlands.
This town was destroyed by the rising river during the "War of the Five Kings". Due to the need for a large sum of money to repair it, the Lut Family had no choice but to abandon it. Now, only ruins remain.
The church once tried to repair it, but was repeatedly harassed by bandits and deserters, and eventually it also came to nothing.
The Valyrian army coming from the Vale direction has already stationed here, and three dragons are constantly circling near the town, announcing the arrival of the Valyrian Empire.
At this time, in Marco's royal tent, there were three people kneeling, or rather, two, because behind the two tall ones, there was a small one.
"Brienne of Tarth, Sandor Clegane, and... also this Podrick Payne, what business do you have with the Valyrian Empire army?"
Aegon Targaryen asked the three kneeling people. These three people came from other places to seek an audience after the Valyrian army stationed here. Brienne said that she was a knight of House Stark, and "The Hound" claimed to be Arya Stark's savior.
"Your Majesty, I have heard that Miss Sansa Stark is currently within the Valyrian Empire. I swore fealty to Lady Catelyn Stark and promised to protect both Stark ladies. I have lost track of Miss Arya, so I request that you allow me to fulfill my oath and continue to protect Miss Sansa Stark."
Brienne bowed to Marco. His enemy, Stannis Baratheon, had died at Marco's hand, so it was natural for her to feel gratitude and respect for him, and her tone was full of both.
"Sansa Stark and Arya Stark have already reunited. They should be on a ship heading to White Harbor in The North. You can depart from the Golden Road and travel all the way to Winterfell; that is their final destination."
Marco replied with a smile. Brienne had always regarded Ser Duncan the Tall as her idol, placing knightly honor above all else. Though her appearance was somewhat intimidating, Marco saw her as a true knight.
Brienne bowed to Marco to express her gratitude and then walked out of the tent without looking back, ready to set off for Winterfell. She had been searching for Arya in The Riverlands, while also acting as a knight-errant, killing deserters and bandits. She had hoped to find Arya, and she had returned to King's Landing once, until she learned that Sansa was in The Vale.
It must be said that Brienne truly possessed a heart of gold. An ordinary knight would probably have asked to stay and serve Marco long ago.
As she reached the door, Brienne seemed to remember something and hurriedly shouted towards Marco:
"Your Majesty! This fellow is not Miss Arya's savior. He was once a knight of House Lannister. I hope you, in your wisdom, will not be deceived by him."
Afterward, Brienne glared at The Hound and turned to leave, seemingly in a better mood.
After listening to Brienne, Marco turned his gaze to The Hound, Sandor Clegane, and asked, "So, Ser Clegane, what is your request?"
Sandor Clegane was a complex man, much like his face. Half human, half ghoul. He would unhesitatingly come forward to help those he believed should be saved, but when his interests were harmed, he would become a cruel and ruthless monster.
To be honest, Marco was also curious about what he would request. His flimsy excuse was definitely a setup for a demand.
It was their good fortune today that a sworn knight from House Royce of The Reach happened to know them, allowing them to come before Marco.
"Your Majesty, I have no other intentions. I nearly died, and some villagers in a nearby village saved me. I only hope that your army will not plunder them."
Sandor Clegane said after bowing to Marco. After falling off the cliff, Arya had left him to die. Due to his severe injuries, he had been recovering in the village.
Just now, Sandor Clegane almost got into a fight with Brienne when he entered the camp. If Brienne hadn't been concerned about Sansa, he probably wouldn't have been so lucky this time.
"You insolent man, the Valyrian Empire's army is not made up of bandits, and our soldiers are not the brutal types you imagine. The soldiers of His Imperial Majesty receive whatever they need from the Emperor. Don't judge us by the standards of your Westerlands."
Marco just smiled and didn't reply, while Brynden Rivers (Bloodraven) retorted with some displeasure, his tone filled with anger.
Feeling the unfriendly gazes of those around him, "The Hound" wisely shut his mouth. He had already obtained the answer he wanted and wouldn't continue to pester them. After so many years in King's Landing, even the most slow-witted person would have developed the ability to read people's expressions.
"You can reassure those villagers that the Riverlands will soon be territory of the Valyrian Empire. After defeating the army at Harrenhal, the Imperial soldiers will eliminate those evildoers who are plundering the Riverlands.
You can also tell the commoners that if they are willing to accept the Empire's rule, they can come here to seek protection. We have bread and cured meat, and those who are willing to work can get even more."
At this moment, Aegon spoke up as well. He was a man of his word, and although he didn't know what had happened between Sandor Clegane and Arya, he still promoted Marco's policies to Sandor Clegane for the future rule of Valyria.
After listening to Aegon's words, a glimmer of hope flashed in Sandor Clegane's eyes. Due to the constant warfare in the Riverlands, this year's harvest had been greatly affected. Sandor Clegane had barely eaten a full meal in a long time.
However, Sandor Clegane quickly suppressed the agitation in his heart. He needed to investigate further; he didn't want his saviors to be captured by the Valyrian Empire and enslaved.
After bowing to Marco and the Valyrian Empire officials, Sandor Clegane quietly withdrew from the royal tent. He needed to go back and discuss things with Brother Ray.
Brother Ray was Sandor Clegane's savior and a very devout monk, but he was different from the other monks. Sandor was used to discussing matters concerning the village with him.
After Sandor left, Marco seemed to have thought of something. He summoned a Wind Dragon Guard and whispered some instructions in the guard's ear. After the Wind Dragon Guard departed, Marco continued to gather the others to discuss the current battle plan.
The Valyrian Empire army would rely on Lord Harroway's town as a logistical base for their troops, attacking Harrenhal from there. Lord Harroway's town was located at the confluence of the Trident, and it was also the connecting point of the Golden Road and the northern King's Road.
Because the river channel of the Trident was too wide, one had to pass through the ferry crossing here to enter King's Landing. However, due to the rapid currents, it was rarely used and unable to transport large quantities of goods. Therefore, merchants mostly chose to pass through The Twins and then enter the River Road and the King's Road.
Marco had always found it hard to understand why House Frey of The Twins had become the second-largest family in the Riverlands. Even though there was the King's Road, why did most people still choose to go through The Twins?
However, Marco had anticipated this situation long ago. After Marco captured the Vale, he had pulled all the flat-bottomed boats used near Gulltown into the Trident basin.
Furthermore, Marco's Narrow Sea Fleet began patrolling Crab Bay, effectively cowing the nobles in the vicinity and ensuring the transport of some of Marco's resources.
Now, all that remained was to wait for the flat-bottomed boats to be ready. Once Marco transported his troops to the other side, he could organize an attack on Harrenhal.
Across from Lord Harroway's town stood the famous Crossroads Inn, which had been around since the reign of King Jaehaerys I.
It had witnessed the rise and fall of the Seven Kingdoms. Most recently, it witnessed the capture of Tyrion Lannister. It was this event that triggered the War of the Five Kings.
However, the inn seemed deserted now. According to reports from the "Wargs", most of the people there had hidden in the underground secret rooms.
In the Church's propaganda, the Valyrian Empire didn't have a good reputation. This was why The Hound, Sandor Clegane, would risk coming to Marco to plead for mercy.
However, Marco didn't have time to deal with these matters. The situation at Harrenhal was the most important thing. As the central location of Westeros, Harrenhal held significant strategic importance.
From there, they could directly threaten King's Landing and cut off its control over the Riverlands, the Vale, and the Westerlands, forcing the Westerlands to take the Golden Road.
During the "Dance of the Dragons," "Prince Daemon Targaryen" gained an early advantage by capturing Harrenhal, using it as a base to help his wife, "Rhaenyra Targaryen," seize King's Landing.
While Marco and the others were discussing their next strategic moves, the supply train and reinforcements from The North arrived in a massive procession outside Lord Harroway's town.
Lord Domeric Bolton was in charge of leading this force. He was also the head of The North's magical forces, and he would be in charge of the Druids and magic apprentices this time.
Upon receiving the news, Marco led everyone out to greet Domeric and his company. Accompanying the Northern forces were "Lyanna Mormont," and some nobles from Deepwood Motte and Seaworth. The "War of the Five Kings," plus Marco's "Northern Conquest," had nearly wiped out the old guard of Northern lords.
Now, the only ones who could still be pulled into battle were the noble heirs like "Lyanna Mormont," and aside from Lyanna Mormont and Cregan Seaworth, there was basically no one else who could command a battle.
"Teacher Maeve, I finally get to see you again! Come, see if my riding skills are up to your standards."
After the Northern councilors and nobles paid their respects, "Lyanna Mormont" eagerly ran to Maeve, took her hand, and happily showed off.
"Lyanna Mormont's" resolute and courageous personality resonated with Maeve. During a chance encounter, Lyanna witnessed Maeve's formidable strength, and from that moment on, she had hoped to become a powerful warrior like Maeve.
Although they had only known each other for a few months, "Little Bear" Lyanna always treated Maeve as her teacher. Finally, with Marco's persuasion, Lyanna became Maeve's disciple.
In Maeve's powerful memory, she possessed many complete combat skills and related knowledge, so she wasn't worried about misleading her students. "Little Bear" Lyanna was also a quick learner. After she left with Maeve and the others,
Marco then led everyone back to the royal tent, while the maesters from Winterfell went to coordinate with the logistics personnel to check the quantity of supplies and count the number of soldiers.
Winterfell's Mystical Mage Tower wasn't just helping Marco cultivate mages; it was also continuously training maesters for the Valyrian Empire. Marwyn and the others had also brought over part of the system from the Citadel to train maesters suitable for the Valyrian Empire for Marco.
These maesters would cooperate with the saints of the Faith of the Seven to cultivate talent in the towns under the jurisdiction of the Valyrian Empire, and these people would eventually become the cornerstone of the Valyrian Empire.
Giants and golems were constantly transporting stone and wood. Their main task today was to rebuild a larger and better pier to ensure the soldiers' boarding tomorrow.
Goblins and imps were doing the material stacking work, striving to complete the finishing work as quickly as possible. Due to the increase in soldiers, the troops' garrison directly surrounded the entire town.
The outer soldiers from the Vale and The North were eager to make achievements tomorrow, hoping to be noticed by the Valyrian Empire's military and become "God-Chosen Warriors."
Everyone knows that the soldiers of Marco's Imperial Army are top-notch, with incredible physical strength. They also enjoy excellent food, benefits, and plenty of room for advancement.
Now, the soldiers of the Valyrian Imperial Army are ready. They are eager to launch their fiercest attack on the enemy early tomorrow morning.
Marco has everything prepared; he's just waiting for the wind to blow. As long as he handles the troop transport efficiently, he's confident he can take Harrenhal in one fell swoop, bringing King's Landing within Marco's range of attack.
"I've long wanted to see what wonders this legendary Harrenhal, one of the Nine Wonders, holds!"
Marco stared at the massive castle on the sand table, muttering to himself while pondering the strange aspects of this place.
Then, a "Warg" soldier began to introduce Harrenhal to everyone. After Marco took control of the Vale, the "Warg" soldiers started gathering intelligence on Harrenhal, aiming to provide assistance to the Empire in the upcoming war.
As the largest castle in the Seven Kingdoms, Harrenhal is three times the size of Winterfell, and its structures are unmatched in scale. A single stable can accommodate 1,000 warhorses, the godswood covers 20 acres, and even its kitchen is as large as Winterfell's great hall.
Before the "War of Conquest," Harrenhal was built by Harren Hoare, the most powerful king of the Iron Islands and the Riverlands, also known as "Harren the Black." He built Harrenhal to commemorate himself, intending it to be the greatest castle in Westeros to surpass all others.
"Black Harren" spent 40 years realizing his dream. Thousands of captives from other kingdoms died in the quarries or on the five massive towers, and countless weirwood trees were felled to provide rafters and beams.
Many people say that Harrenhal was actually built on the bones and resentment of the dead, so it has always been filled with curses and ominousness, as can be seen from the end of "Black Harren."
After Harrenhal was built, "Black Harren" boasted that his new fortress was impregnable, and that was indeed the case. Most of "Black Harren's" enemies died outside the solid walls of Harrenhal, but he did not take into account Aegon the Conqueror and his dragon "Black Dread," which had lived for hundreds of years.
Dragons are not stopped by high walls and towers. Ultimately, "Black Harren" was burned alive by dragon flame in the highest tower, so this tower was later called the Burning Tower.