Chapter 139 The tacit understanding between Stark and Manderly
"Rob, you made a hasty decision to entrust the Twins to Clay Mandler."
Leaning on the carriage, he stared at the huge castle on the Green Fork River that still bore traces of war. He did not see any Twin Towers flag on it, because the Frey family was under the fierce attack of the Northern Army. , has become history.
Now, the mermaid flags representing the Mandalay family are hanging in every corner of the Twins. However, they still know who the master of the North is. On the gates of the east and west castles, Stark's The running wolf flag is flying.
After Ed Stark found out that his son actually gave the Twins to Clay's Mandalay family, he suddenly became worried.
Originally, Ed Stark's life before going south did not see a few decent conspiracies at all. As a lord of one side, he was able to handle it.
But after being crushed by the King's Landing power field, and later on, when he thought he was sure of everything, but was easily overturned in the end, his understanding of conspiracy slipped to the other extreme.
As the Duke of the North for so many years, he knew the size of the Mandalay family and the financial resources behind White Harbor, the largest port in the North.
Originally, this large area in the southeastern part of the North was where the Bolton family and the Mandalay family competed. Because of the history of the Bolton family, they were generally in a strong position in the competition.
In order to achieve a balance, the Stark family has adopted a policy of supporting the Mandalay family over the past hundreds of years to prevent the Mandalay family from being overly weakened by Bolton and causing the "Red King" to reappear in history. world.
But what kind of place is the Twins? You can't give it to anyone, why should you give it to the Mandalay family, which has a huge influence in the Biting Bay area.
Ed Stark now feels that there is a conspiracy in everything, which is the result of his own overcorrection.
"Rob, if you give this order, do you know how much it will expand the power of the Mandalay family?"
Eddard Stark was breathing heavily with a flushed face. The air was getting colder and colder, but he felt more and more friendly and peaceful. In his heart, he just wanted to stay as far away from the south as possible.
"Father, I know this will increase the strength of the Mandalay family, but this is what Clay deserves. He personally defeated the Twins. The Frey family has no qualified heir. We need a stable rear. Under the circumstances, I had to give the Twins to Clay.”
Robb didn't think this matter was that serious. In his opinion, the Mandalay family had always been the strongest supporters of the Stark family. At the same time, Clay Manderly, the true heir, was still his friend. There is nothing to worry about.
Hearing what his eldest son said, Eddard Stark fell silent, not because he had nothing to say, but because the matter was at this point and he had no reason to take this land away from Clay.
I hope this Clay Manderly can be your lifelong good friend. If this is the case, it will be your greatest luck, but the descendants of the Stark family do not have this blessing.
Clay Mandler's age was only seventeen or eighteen years old. With the old cunning man Wyman Mandler behind him, he was escorted and given twenty years to fully integrate the two lands.
Ed Stark is convinced that the Mandalay family will become a huge family that can pull out nearly 7,000 troops at any time. This family has a golden dragon, a fleet, and a young man who can lead the army and sweep the battlefield. This is Incredible power.
The Stark family has ruled the north for thousands of years. At its peak, it could only send 10,000 troops. Now, this time going south, the number of troops sent by the Stark family is only 8,000.
In addition to the title of co-owner of the North, the Stark family does not have much advantage over the Mandalay family. If you include uncertain human factors like Clay Manderly, the Mandalay family What should Stark do if he really has other thoughts?
For example, now, most of the cavalry in the north is still firmly in the hands of Clay Mandler. The infantry does not know it, but along with the cavalry, Clay Mandler's commanding ability is already at an absolute level. High position.
If a war really breaks out, the Stark family summons their vassals. Will these vassals be attacked by the cavalry troops commanded by Clay Manderly on their way?
He used 5,000 men to kill 12,000 Lannister men. Even if his strength was weakened when he returned to White Harbor, it was more than enough to deal with the dispersed and assembled noble reinforcements.
How long can the isolated and helpless Winterfell last in the face of the fierce Mandalay cavalry?
Ed Stark could no longer think about it, because Earl Wyman had already left the city to pick him up, and a sturdy figure had appeared on the road not far from him, followed by two young girls.
He had seen one of them, the smaller one, that was Vera Mandler, the granddaughter of Earl Wyman, so it was clear who the other one was.
"Lord Ed, by the gods, you are back!"
No matter what he thinks in his heart, on the surface, Wyman Manderly shows no loyalty to his Stark family.
Ed Stark thought to himself, a smile appeared on his red face, and after waiting for the other party to salute, he slowly said:
"Wyman, as I told you at Winterfell, you have a wonderful grandson."
Regarding this, the mature Earl Weiman still doesn’t know the meaning of becoming a king, but what can he say? Clay didn't discuss it with him when he did this. After taking possession of Twin River City, he gave the news to himself who was completely unprepared.
After receiving the news, he came here immediately with his family members without saying a word. After the Frey family left, the entire Twins City fell into a huge power vacuum.
The northern army stationed here can only maintain the rule of this city and a small area of land around it. The large area of land granted to the Mandalay family is actually a empty state.
Therefore, Earl Wyman understood this. He took his two granddaughters and a thousand troops who stayed in White Harbor, and took a boat directly across the Biting Bay, which was already the inner sea of the Mandalay family, and took the fastest way. Speed takes over the Twins.
The land allocated to the Mandalay family is not only the palm-sized area of Twin River City, but also countless manor territories attached to this city. Although the knight lord above is the smallest noble, he also has a lot of influence in the local area. Small influence.
These people were originally die-hard supporters of the Frey family. Now, the Frey family has been sent to meet the Seven Gods by Clay Sap. What should they do?
They may become a factor of instability at any time, so the old man had to bring a thousand people over. Apart from anything else, public security is a big problem.
"My lord, the Twins are yours. The Manderly family is loyal to the Stark family. This has not changed."
Earl Weiman bowed and said that he was not sure what changes had taken place in his original lord after he had gone through so much trouble on his trip south. Therefore, the old man chose the most conservative and humble attitude.
What the Mandalay family needs now is to keep a low profile. After eating in one breath, he became a big fat man. He must sit on the ground and work hard to digest the food in his stomach. Only after the digestion is completed will he have the strength to deal with the enemies with red eyes around him. them.
Originally, when Eddard Stark returned to Winterfell and headed north along the King's Road, the Twins were not the only way to go, but he still came here with the purpose of meeting his top boss. vassal.
There is another purpose. His eldest daughter Sansa Stark has been brought back, but the problem is that the youngest daughter Arya is still missing.
When they were dispersed, Ed Stark asked Robb to look for the guards assigned to Arya, but none of them came back.
He thought that he might have missed it. If he went further north, Arya might pass by the Twins. After all, the land east of the Twins, including the King's Road, theoretically belonged to the Mandalay family.
"I understand, Wiman, we don't need to say this. Let me ask you, have you seen my little daughter Arya?"
Eddard Stark's question made Lord Wyman stunned. Arya, Lord Eddard's youngest daughter?
Earl Wyman was sure that he had not heard similar news. He had just taken over the new territory, and things were complicated and complicated. But if it was this kind of news about members of the Stark family, Earl Wyman would definitely be able to remember it. .
He carefully searched his memory many times, and after making sure that he had not heard any relevant news, he frowned, shook his head, and answered Ed's question seriously:
"Sir, I am very sure that I have not heard anything about Miss Arya. Although I am old, I will not be wrong about this kind of thing."
The Starks looked at each other. Count Wyman's expression was fake, and he had no reason to lie. That would be strange. Didn't Arya show up at the Twins?
Is he still on the battlefield at Harrenhal? This shouldn't be the case. He forced Tywin Lannister back, coupled with the subsequent negotiations, and the infantry moved northward relatively slowly. After such a long time, if Arya was still near Harrenhal, she would definitely be Will come to join him.
And now, Count Wyman, who controls the Twins City and radiates his power to the King's Road that goes a long way north, has no news about Arya. What is going on?
It is impossible to be captured by the Lannister. If the two sides are still at war, the Lannister can use Arya as a hostage to blackmail the Stark family, but now that the two sides have reached peace talks, this possibility is no longer possible.
Also, the North still has about a dozen noble lords from the West. Even if Arya's surname is Stark, in terms of inheritance rights, she is the last member of the Stark family and has little value at all.
If she really fell into the hands of Lord Tywin, why didn't the old lion trade Arya for these captured nobles of the West? Negotiations have already begun anyway.
Robb Stark felt a chill behind his back. He vaguely felt that Arya might be in trouble. She was neither in the Twins nor in Harrenhal, so where could she be?
…
Arya Stark wrapped herself in a thin fur blanket, but she couldn't help it. The strong wind blowing in from the stone fence was too strong.
She looked boredly at a big bird fluttering by her feet. The little girl didn't recognize the species of the bird. Anyway, he had never seen such a big bird in the north.
The sound of footsteps came, and a small dinner plate was handed into the room where Arya Stark was standing by a thick black hand. Arya had her back turned and had no intention of looking back.
She didn't know where she was, she just knew that she was in a very high place, because it was not so much that she was on the ground, let alone in the sky.
Just like what the little girl saw just now, birds were flying past her feet. Below was the vast forest. If she fell from here, she would definitely die ugly.
Arya didn't know how she got here. Originally, the guard assigned by her father carefully avoided the tracking of the Lannister army along the way.
After finally breaking through the Lannister blockade, she heard that her brother Robb was leading an army and was stationed in Earl Harroway's town. The little girl who cleverly acted as a good girl along the way finally unleashed her true nature. He was jumping to find his brother.
However, they were not happy for long. On the way towards Rob's camp, a mysterious group of cavalry attacked them at dusk with poor light.
Arya Stark clearly remembered that her guard captain, the experienced middle-aged man, shouted that he was Duke Eddard's subordinate, and at the same time sent someone to escort Arya to escape immediately.
But these cavalry were definitely not Lannister. They completely ignored the guard captain's statement and still charged towards him. The guard captain knew that these people came with bad intentions, so he drew his sword and tried to resist.
However, when the little girl turned around, what she saw was the head flying into the air and the bright red blood.
Later, they were overtaken and everyone died except Arya.
There are no crests on these people's armors. They obviously don't want others to know their identities, and their goal is very clear, they are here for themselves.
After unsuccessfully resisting with a bloody sword, Arya was knocked unconscious. When she woke up, her hands were tightly wrapped with ropes and her eyes were covered tightly.
She was pulled by someone and brought to a place, where she heard a slightly familiar man's voice, but she couldn't remember who it was. She had heard this voice in King's Landing:
"My lord, this is Arya Stark."
"Well, I know, thank you for your hard work. Come on down. You know what to do this time."
"clear……"
The person who brought him here left, and the owner with a somewhat frivolous voice walked around him several times, as if he was observing something.
"Miss Stark, I believe that your disappearance will add a heavy weight to the fragile balance between the North and the West, which is heading towards disintegration."
"Don't worry, I have no interest in you, because unfortunately, you are nothing like your mother."
Although she couldn't see it, Arya could feel the man's narrow smile.
Damn it! Why can't I remember who he is?
Arya thought in annoyance that she was too playful.
"Okay, you're tired, Miss Stark, it's time to go back to your room, don't die, live well..."
Those were the last words Arya Stark heard before she was locked up.
