socalfunplaces Chapter 131 The Iron Boat Traveling on Land
Chapter 131 The Iron Boat Traveling on Land
Chapter 131 The Iron Boat Traveling on Land
Barristan Selmi stood before the high platform, his hand resting on his longsword.
Behind him stood a monster made of steel.
The jagged spikes, sharp edges, and twisted, tangled metal resemble a cluster of thorns cast directly from the ground.
The king sat on it, his chin resting on his hand and his elbows propped on his knees, changing his posture every now and then.
He seemed to feel very uncomfortable with the Iron Throne.
But at least the king had a chair to sit on.
In the throne room, apart from the royal family and a few high-ranking officials, everyone else must stand or kneel with utmost respect.
Morning light slanted in through the narrow, high window, casting dark red streaks on the stone wall.
The dragon head once hung high here.
Immediately after the war, King Robert removed the dragon head and replaced it with a collection of tapestries depicting hunting scenes.
This action did alleviate the chilly atmosphere in the throne room considerably.
The sun was still high in the sky, and the king secretly covered his mouth with his hand and yawned.
Barristan, however, felt invigorated.
As people get older, they need less and less sleep.
When he was a servant, he could sleep for ten hours, but at sixty-two, he could easily sleep for five hours a night.
Having served as a member of the Imperial Guard for so long, he had long since mastered the skill of turning a deaf ear.
But now the throne room is as noisy as a fish market.
The newly appointed Minister of the Navy brought a group of his own commoners to the Iron Throne to complain.
"Your Majesty, there are only a few people left in Winderville; the rest are all dead," Lord Edmure Tully said, puffing out his beard and glaring.
Lord Landau readily admitted to inviting the Ironborn to plunder the Riverlands.
He has now gone to the Great Wall, but the Ironborn, having taken the treasure of Lannisport, have not stopped their filthy hands.
"Tell me what happened," the king commanded. "Stand up and speak."
The commoners kneeling in the hall struggled to their feet.
Ser Patrick Mellist pointed at a dyer whose hands were green: "Tell His Majesty about your plight and the cruelty of the Ironborn."
"No embellishment allowed."
The dyer nervously rubbed his apron against his chest: "Reporting to Your Majesty the King."
"I—I am an apprentice, learning dyeing techniques from my master in Wende Town, because my master's skills are the best in the town, Your Majesty."
He swallowed hard.
"But they burned down my master's house and drowned him in a dye vat."
"They originally planned to drown me too, but I ran fast and didn't drown."
"He didn't drown," a short, stout man nearby chimed in.
He had the arms of a blacksmith, and looked as if he had specially changed into his best clothes to go to court.
But his trousers were covered in patches, and his cloak was dusty and worn.
"Before that, your master's head had already been split open with an axe."
"And they let you get away on purpose, throwing axes at you from behind, but they were just unlucky and missed."
"They are all robbers," said the farmer next to the blacksmith.
"They live in a haunted castle, and in the middle of the night they run into town, burning everything in sight, and anyone who tries to stop them dies."
"They stole my dairy cow."
"And my daughter-in-law." An old woman stood tremblingly, "They chopped off my son's head and made me hold it, watching them go—go—"
While she was crying, Sir Patrick took over the conversation.
"The residents of Wende Town took refuge in the manor, but the house was made of wood. The Ironmen covered it with straw and burned them alive inside."
The Empress Dowager asked, "So, how did you all survive?"
The Chancellor of the Exchequer turned his face toward Barristan and rolled his eyes so that His Majesty the Queen Mother wouldn't see it.
"They only steal things; they won't kill you if you hand them over obediently," the blacksmith said.
The farmer glared at him: "Nonsense! Even if you hand it over, I'll still kill you."
"My neighbor opened his door and was then hacked to death from behind."
"I heard that when you were captured by the Ironborn, you helped them repair axes and armor. That's not how you were released, is it?"
Seeing that a quarrel was about to break out below, the Prime Minister tapped on the table.
"quiet."
He turned to Sir Patrick.
"Has no longship been found on the sea near Haijiang City?"
Patrick scratched his head: "My father rang the bronze bell on the Hongzhong Tower a long time ago, so that the villagers and farmers in the fields could all hide inside."
"But Winderville is on the east bank of the Bluefork, a day's ride from us. The White Walkers don't know how the Ironborn managed to sneak over there."
The Earl of Raventree, heir to Tytos Blackwood, yet another fellow named Brynden has stepped forward.
"The Ironborn landed west of the Stone City," he said. "They carried their boats ashore and carried them all the way to the Blue Fork River."
"They've even been categorized under the 'Beauty Collection'."
Patrick turned around: "You've discovered it, why haven't you sent troops?"
The heir did not respond.
The Prime Minister tapped the table lightly: "Where are the troops in the Riverlands deployed now?"
"I've sent them to Raventree City to assemble," Edmure interjected.
"If the sea monsters leave the ocean, they will only die on the shore. As long as we control the coast of Haijiang City, they will have no way to retreat back to the Iron Islands."
"In that case, Hejian can handle this matter itself," Her Majesty the Empress Dowager said. "Then why are you all coming to court?"
Edmure glanced at the Iron Throne.
"The lords of the three rivers maintain peace within their borders in the name of the king."
"We demand blood for blood, an eye for an eye," Patrick said.
"We demand to retake the Iron Islands and prevent the Ironborn from ever raiding again."
These words stirred up Barristan's memories.
Nine years ago, when Greyjoy rebelled, Stannis conquered Great Wake, and Stannis led his army to attack Old Wake.
King Robert and Duke Eddard joined forces to launch a full-scale attack on Pyke Island.
But all of that was predicated on Stannis's ambush and defeat of the Iron Fleet during the Battle of Fairy Island.
The Iron Throne has just experienced division and civil war, and the king recently issued an order for a period of rest and recuperation.
Will he start another war over these issues now?
Everyone looked toward the Iron Throne.
Barristan looked over as well.
If it were Aerys, she would probably scream and want to chop the Ironborn to pieces, but she wouldn't leave King's Landing for even a moment.
If it were Robert, he would shout for the warhammer, determined to completely crush the Iron Islands, no matter what battles had just been fought for the Iron Throne.
However, although King Joffrey is young, he is mature and steady in his actions, so it seems that...
"In the name of Joffrey I of House Baratheon, King of the Andals, Rhoynar and First Men, Ruler of the Seven Realms and Protector of the Realm."
The king stood up.
"Strip all the nobles of the Iron Islands of all their official positions and powers, and reclaim all their fiefs, taxes and houses."
"Anyone who does not come to King's Landing to confess their crimes shall be executed after the city falls."