iron throne of ice and fire

Chapter 284 The Heavy Crown 3
After Count Rickard's words fell, the hall fell silent. Robb stared at Count Rickard below, his eyes sharper.

The Great Jon suddenly grabbed the spear from the guard, put it against Earl Rickard's back, and said angrily: "King Robb, let me poke his chest open and see what's inside!"

Earl Rickard laughed loudly and said: "If my heart can help my sons wake up from the grave, I am willing to dig it out!"

The veins on the back of his hands were pulsing. Sir Brandon could clearly feel his nephew's anger growing stronger. He took a step forward and spoke downwards: "Earl Karstark, died in the riverlands at the hands of the regicide." There are many children, and their father is also filled with the fire of hatred.”

Lord Rickard's eyes moved to Brynden Tully and grinned: "Lord Blackfish, everyone can stab him with a sword. I just want to avenge my son. I don't mind the rest."

Sir Brynden glanced at the people below and raised his voice slightly: "We are fighting for the Riverlands and the North. Anyone may die on the battlefield. Death in battle is the highest honor of a knight."

He glanced sideways at King Robb, then turned his gaze back to the people below and said, "Your son died heroically in battle, but in the name of your father, you used your selfishness to tarnish your son's honor."

After Sir Blackfish finished speaking, everyone below couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Seeing this, Earl Rickard made a sound, spat blood, and said: "This is a matter for the people in the north, Lord Blackfish, you are too lenient!"

hum!
Brynden stretched out his hand and pressed it down, and the lords of the Riverlands below who were about to speak fell silent.

Ser Brynden's voice was hoarse and his eyes were deep: "If the king allows it, I will."

Just as Robb was about to speak, Roose Bolton stroked his chest and said, "Your Majesty the King."

Ser Brynden first raised his hand to stop Edmure's movement, and said: "Lord Karstark, please answer me, when your sword pierced the Tully guard, did you ever think that we had been with Robb all this time?" Fighting side by side under the king’s banner?”

Then, everyone began to whisper, and the royal steward stopped him loudly: "Silence! Silence! Silence!"

Buzz, there was a sudden silence in the hall, as if the air had solidified... Everyone present was stunned.

Black Wald had been standing behind, as if he was watching a show. He suddenly pushed away the person in front of him roughly, walked out, and said loudly: "Lord Blackfish, my warhammer is willing to serve you and help you." Smash this northerner’s head!”

He was then pulled back into the crowd by other Vaders.

"You!" Edmure pointed angrily at the stubborn scoundrel.

Earl Rickard was speechless, but still said angrily: "The ancestors only believed in their own knives and swords, not their ears and tongues."

Sir Brynden looked at Black Walder who was eager to try. He narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Little Frey, although I am a bit old, I can still wield the sword like a young man."

He turned slightly sideways, stretched out one hand towards Robb's position, and said: "The trout can also speak with the sword in his hand, but the Wolf Banner is flying above our heads. Edmure and I have no right to deal with the king." vassal."

"please allow me……"

Robb's eyes seemed to be burning with anger, and Lord Rickard laughed loudly and said: "If Lord Ned wants to chop off my head with ice, I have nothing to say, and I don't need any reason. That is the honor of the ancestors of the North."

He said: "Earl Karstark, please take back your inappropriate words. You and I, and everyone present, are vassals of King Robb."

Hearing Ser Brynden's hidden warning words, he grinned, showing his yellow teeth, but said no more.

Earl Rickard seemed to be roaring: "Come on, take my head, let me see your craftsmanship!"

King Robb's chest was heaving. He closed his eyes for a while and then opened them again. He stood up slowly and glanced at everyone sharply, saying, "Greatjon, please continue to guard Rickard Karstark." , the other seven were hanged."

He moved his steps, stood beside Earl Rickard, and continued: "Take Rickard Karstark to Winterfell, and Lord Eddard will deal with him personally."

He looked around at the people present and raised his voice: "I, Rickard of the Karstark family, swear to the old and new gods that no matter who it is, no matter how high or low they are, as long as they can offer the head of the Kingslayer, I will give them to me." His daughter (Aly Karstark, fifteen years old this year) marries him!"

Greatjon blinked and said, "King Robb, even the dead?"

Edmure Tully looked at his uncle with admiration. He took a step forward and said loudly: "Rickard Karstark, we both serve under the banner of King Robb, but you serve your own selfish motives." And the guard who killed my father. If it is according to your statement, how should this account be settled? "

Robb looked coldly at Earl Rickard, who was still glaring at him, and said, "Yes, I don't want these dirty things to pollute the river at my uncle's house and let them feed the crows."

As soon as he finished speaking, a prisoner suddenly knelt down and begged: "Your Majesty, I didn't kill anyone. I was just ordered to guard the door for them to see if anyone passed by."

King Robb looked at the kneeling man and asked in a deep voice: "Do you know Rickard Karstark's intention? Did you see the weapons of the people who were traveling with you? Did you hear the young man's screams and shouts? Yet?"

The kneeling person answered honestly: "Yes, yes, I know it all...but I didn't join. I was only ordered to guard the door. I swear..."

"The Greatjon, the one who was just a gatekeeper, was the last one to hang so he could watch the others die."

Under the majesty of the Young Wolf Lord, everyone could not help but hold their breath. He turned his head and said: "Uncle, grandpa, uncle, if it is convenient, please come with me." After saying that, he turned and left.

The door was pushed open and the Greatjon's men drove the captives out of the hall with spears. Rumble, thunder suddenly sounded, as if the whole castle was shaking.

Boom boom boom, the lightning is getting louder and louder.

Count Luce raised his light eyes, glanced at the suddenly dark sky, and jumped onto the horse that kept neighing.

…………

The living room was dark, its thick walls blocking out the sound of thunder outside. A waiter came in with an oil lamp to light the fire, but Robb waved him away, leaving only the lamp.

When the door closed, the room was dark and dull.

Edmure found a chair and sat down. Robb took off the crown from his head, placed it on the table in front of him, and stared at it silently.

Ser Brynden looked at the sullen Robb for a while and said, "Your Majesty, Lord Bolton of the Dreadfort cannot stay here any longer. He has hidden evil intentions."

Previously, Earl Luce's seemingly reasonable advice directly revealed the biggest hidden problem between the Trident and the Northern Kingdom. The lords in the North were not only Robb's vassals, they were also Robb's father's vassals. Lord, while his father was defending Winterfell from the Greyjoy invasion.

Count Luce was using Count Rickard to "force" the young king, and they could no longer suppress the matter.

Robb still stared at the copper and black iron sword crown without saying anything. Sir Brynden sighed: "Black Walder... his actions just now also showed the attitude of Marquis Frey. We must be more vigilant."

There was a dull atmosphere in the room. Edmure wanted to comfort his nephew, but he didn't know how to speak.

After a pause, Robb suddenly cursed desperately and angrily: "Let the White Walkers capture the damned Rickard Karstark, Theon Greyjoy, Walder Frey, and Tywin Lang." Nestor, of all people!”

Feeling the worries of his great-uncle and uncle, he slowly exhaled and said: "At the beginning, when everyone was calling me the King of the North, and I declared myself the King of the North, I told myself... I swore to myself... I would definitely... To be a good king, one must not only value honor like his father, but also be strong, treat all vassals fairly, and fight against enemies bravely..."

He sighed softly: "Even now, even I can't figure out why everything is so chaotic? Who can tell me what's going on? Rickard and I fought side by side, through life and death, and his two sons were more protective. I died heroically in the Whispering Forest, and Martin Lannister was my enemy, and for him I had to deal with the father of my deceased friend."

He looked at Ser Brynden: "Will the Lannister family thank me? Or, will the Frey family thank me?"

Ser Brynden shook his head bluntly: "No."

Knock, knock, knock, there was a knock on the door.

After receiving a response, Sir Raynald pushed open the door and entered, raindrops dripping down his cloak and helmet.

There was panic in his voice: "Your Majesty, all the Karstark soldiers have escaped."

"Tell me clearly, what do you mean by running away?" Robb's voice was thick and unclear.

Sir Leonard raised his hand to wipe the rain off his face casually, and replied: "They left in groups at a very fast speed. It is said that only the wounded are left in the Karstark camp."

Robb's eyes were very sharp: "Have the Karstark soldiers regrouped?"

Edmure stood up and said, "Robb, I'm going to gather the army."

"Edmure, come back."

Ser Brynden scolded: "You will trigger a battle between the army of the North and the army of the Riverlands. Sit down."

Edmure opened his mouth, but sat down obediently.

Robb rubbed his temples and said: "Halion (the eldest son of Lord Rickard)... they are going to join Harion. The army led by Bolton is stationed in the north of the Twins, and the army led by Harion The Stark Shield Troopers... they're out there."

He rubbed his temples again and continued: "More than 300 cavalrymen and 600 war horses. We lost the cavalrymen of Kastar."

Edmure reminded Robb: "The news must be blocked, otherwise..."

Ser Brynden interrupted: "The news has been brought out by the Karstark family a long time ago. We are already one step too late."

"I will reveal the truth."

Robb stared at the dark crown and continued: "Rickard Karstark provoked me and betrayed me. I have no choice but to sentence him to death."

(End of this chapter)