Eagle of the Valley of Ice and Fire

Chapter 2 Attendants of Runestone City
"Weima, raise your arms." Instructor Samwell Stone corrected Weimar's bow-holding action.Weimar frowned and tried hard to raise his arm, even though the soreness was already extremely strong.

"Whoosh~" An arrow pierced the air above the grassland and hit the bullseye in the distance steadily.

Weimar saw the arrow that he had not yet shot, and turned his head in confusion, looking for the source of the arrow.

When he turned around, he saw the person he least wanted to see at this moment, "You're interrupting my archery practice, Attis." Just like his resentful expression, his tone was also so depressed.

"Good day, Ser Waymar Royce." Attis Arryn made a face at him, turned around and ran towards the forest.

"Damn it!" Weimar originally planned to just curse and continue training, but Attis's voice in the distance instantly attracted his attention, "Follow me to Weimar, I found a treasure inside!"

Weimar raised his head and glanced at the instructor.

"No, you know the earl won't allow it..." Sam said sternly.

Weimar immediately stood up and ran away with his sword, "Goodbye, Lord Shidong~"

The moment he turned around and ran away, the wind blew happily by his ears, leaving only the sound of Runestone City's illegitimate son scolding behind him. At that time, he felt extremely happy.

Runestone City is located on the south bank of the fjord where the narrow sea goes deep into the valley. Humid water vapor permeates the entire castle. It forms a castle and a city with Seagull Town in the south, guarding the flat land that does not occupy the majority of the valley.

Different from the towers of the Eagle's Nest City, looking from the towers of Runestone City is a rare enjoyment. Not far away is the endless sea, and the wind from the Maiden Tower of the Eagle's Nest City can knock over teenage children. .

Weimar followed Artis panting.Attis's physical strength has always been enviable, Weimar thought to himself.

Attis quickly turned over like a shadow lynx and jumped over the complicated branches and vines in the forest. The original cloak with the Valley Eagle emblem on his shoulders was missing, and the light leather armor wrapped his lean body. Walking through the green forest curtains, you feel particularly energetic.

After an unknown amount of time, the surroundings were completely surrounded by thick trees and crisscrossing vines. The breath of the wilderness had long been covered by the humidity and heat of the jungle. Attis finally stopped in front.

"Did we go too far?" Weimar looked around uneasily, but when he saw the scene in front of him, he couldn't help but froze.

The trees in front were all broken, and the broken sections were extremely smooth, as if they had been cut by an extremely sharp sword blade. They looked particularly empty and unnatural in the dense forest.

"Seven gods above..." Weimar muttered with his eyes widened in shock.

Attis pointed to the other side and whispered, "Shh, it's still there."

Weimar looked in the direction of his finger. A thin shadow lynx was lying on a branch not far away, hiding itself with the leaves and looking at them fiercely.

"Artis, why don't you call the instructor over? This is too risky." Weimar rubbed his twitching face. Although he knew that the bobcat was too thin, he was also afraid of its sharp claws, especially when When I saw the tragic state of the trees ahead.

"Come on, Weimar, you don't particularly like these." Attis drew out his sword warily, "Are you weird?" He tiptoed and walked slowly in the direction of the lynx.

Weimar really longed for the Great Wall. He often said that after the name day, he would definitely join the night watchman of the Great Wall, enter the ghost forest outside the wall, and look for the strange spirits that threaten the kingdom.

But he is not yet fourteen.

Weimar suppressed the fear in his heart, drew out his sword, and slowly followed Attis. Because of his sudden daze, Attis in front of him had been blocked by trees and disappeared from his sight.What's even worse is that the shadow bobcat on the tree has also disappeared.

"Attis?" Weimar called softly, and he only dared to whisper.

When he mustered up the courage to go around behind the tree, he was stunned.

The thin shadow lynx was lying affectionately in Artis's arms, and Artis was feeding the lynx the fruit pulp shipped from Seagull Town.

"What?" Weimar once again couldn't understand the situation. Although this situation often happened during the years of getting along with Artis, it was never as "dangerous" as now.Weimar looked at the coquettish lynx in front of her and thought in disbelief.

"Weima, his name is Adam." Attis raised his hands and raised the lynx's face to Weimar's eyes. Weimar quickly took a few steps back and couldn't help but raise the sword in his hand.

"Hey! Don't scare the cat." Artis hugged the cat back, "I was practicing riding and shooting with your father, Mr. Royce. I left him behind and went into the jungle and found Adam. He was so young. It’s truly rare.”

"Such a small shadow lynx can't survive more than three days in the valley." Weimar said disdainfully, but he was thinking in his heart that my father had never practiced horseback archery with me.

"So it's fate that I have to raise it." Artis said nonchalantly and put the bobcat on the tree with a smile. "Adam usually lives in the rock crevice in front. It is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and other ferocious animals are difficult to approach. Smart cat."

Adam followed the trees and exposed rock formations silently through the green shade in the distance, and disappeared from the sight of the two of them in the blink of an eye.

Artis and Weimar walked back along the footsteps they came from. The bugle sound in the distance had sounded many times. Weimar looked at Attis' dirty face. Sometimes he was not sure that it was Artis's dirty face. Lord Lin's eldest son will inherit the lordship of the entire valley in the future.

Thinking of this, Weimar turned his face away in frustration. Although he knew that he would inevitably be scolded by his father today, he did not complain about it. The loneliness of being the youngest son was real.

"Weima, did you know that I have been hunting with Sam recently?" Attis's voice rang in his ears.

"I know." Weimar responded impatiently. He had to admit that among every peer he met, Attis's knightly talent was the highest, whether it was swordsmanship, lance, archery or horseback riding.

"I shot many flocks of wild geese. I learned some skills from the nuns in the church and made this from their feathers for you." Attis took out a ring-feather headdress from the quiver of his cloth armor, " You can hang it on your head.”

Weimar took the headdress, which seemed a bit rough to him, and curled his lips, "This is quite ugly."

His shoulders were hunched together unnaturally, and he tried not to look at Attis's face. The face of the darling of the valley inherited the beauty of his mother, Lady Arryn, and even though he was only 12 years old, he could vaguely see his future heroic appearance.

Attis saw this scene and said with a smile: "Brother, have you forgotten that next week is your name day?" After that, he punched him in the chest.Weimar lowered his head and pursed his lips with a smile, pushing Attis with both hands, and the two of them struggled out of the woods.

The moment Weimar walked out of the woods, his father's tall and thin figure immediately occupied his sight.He swallowed his saliva and thought something was wrong.

But Ser Yohn Royce did not approach him, but only shouted to Attis beside him: "Attis, your father wants you to come to King's Landing at once."

"Why?" Weimar even asked before Attis, who was also puzzled and stared at Yoen Royce.

Ever since the nine-year-old Attis left the Eyrie and came to Runestone, the family castle of the Royce family, Attis had rarely seen his father, the Prime Minister, who was far away in King's Landing, and his stepmother Lysa Tully, who also went to King's Landing. noodle.

In Artis's vague memory, his stepmother gradually developed mental problems after she kept giving birth to stillborn babies. She was not rude to him at first, but gradually she often looked at him secretly with jealous eyes.

Even during the years when he was Lord Yonn's attendant in Runestone City, whenever he fell asleep at night, he would often wake up because of his dream about Lysa Tully's abnormal eyes.

"I heard you have a brother, Attis." Yohn Royce replied expressionlessly.

"Perhaps it won't be too late for me to leave after Weimar's 14th name day next week, Lord Royce." Attis did not agree immediately, but requested in a low voice.

"This is the Prime Minister's order, Attis." Jon looked deeply at Weimar, "But the gifts from Runestone City and the manpower and materials to escort the heir of Eagle's Nest City need to be prepared."

Weimar looked up at her father in disbelief, her eyes shining.

"I will convey the opinions of the heir to the Valley to the Prime Minister." After saying that, Yohn Royce rode away.Attis and Weimar looked at each other and smiled, then mounted the horses handed to them by the retinue and followed closely, heading towards Runestone City.

Attis returned to the room, took off his sweat-stained clothes, stuffed his body into a wooden bucket filled with hot water, and soaked his whole body in the comfortable water temperature. He leaned his head on the edge of the bucket, his eyes Staring at the milky white ceiling, he mentally reviewed what Sir Royce said, "I will convey the opinions of the heir of the valley to the Prime Minister."

"Heir of the Valley", "Master Prime Minister." Artis felt itchy in his heart, "Such an unfamiliar title came from Sir Royce's mouth." He couldn't help but think that if he saw Yohn Royce all day long, he would call him "Lord Earl of Runestone City" or "Bronze Yohn", what will this Lord Royce look like.After taking a hot bath, Attis was half lying on the bed in his velvet pajamas, thinking about his latest heart-to-heart conversation with his father.

At that time, Attis was heartbroken over the death of his hunting dog that had been with him for many years. He locked himself in the house and did not want to see anyone.

However, he could not stop his father from entering.

He remembered his father calling his name softly outside the door, "Attis, Attis, I brought some honey juice and the candies you like to eat."

Attis didn't respond at first.

"Can I come in?" Father's voice came again.

"I want to be alone." Although Attis did not see his father, he still had a bad face and said irritably.

"I really want to do this, but the taste of this honey is too sweet." There was a sound of metal colliding outside the door, and my father pushed the door open and entered.

The moment he opened the door, Attis briefly forgot the grief caused by the death of his pet dog, because the first thing that caught his eyes was his father's head of silver hair.

"I have grown very old." This was Jon Arryn's first sentence.

The father ignored Attis's silence and said to himself, "Dear Robert, when he was rebellious, I didn't feel old yet, and I could still mount my horse and kill the enemy."

"Of course, it was just a temporary thing. I didn't decisively give up the idea until I actually moved into the camp." His father raised his wrinkled face and raised his eyebrows at him.

"After that, I decisively handed over the command of the army to those young people, many young people, from the valley, the riverland, and from the north. Some of them I liked very much. I almost grew up watching them. I always feel that some people are still young and need experience, but later on, like Gulltown, Summerhall, the Battle of the Trident, the Battle of the Bell, the Siege of Storm's End..."

Attis listened quietly to the series of place names reported by his father. He knew that these were important links in the Robert's Rebellion War.

"Many young people died on the battlefield. Most of them were in their youth, but they were all lost in this unnecessary war."

"Many old friends I know well, whether they are aristocrats or commoners, noble or lowly, have disappeared like shooting stars in the night sky of the valley." My father said calmly, but the eyes of the valley seemed to be hidden in his eyes that were hollow due to aging. The galaxy is deep and a little sad.

Jon Arryn suddenly changed his tone, "This idea is especially strong when I am dealing with matters that Robert should have used the prostitute's time to solve." He even winked at Attis.

"For the Aelin family, it mainly refers to you, Attis." His father looked down at himself who was curled up, "Today you are sad because of the death of your beloved dog, and tomorrow you are sad because of the death of your friend. One day I will be sad too. He will die, maybe soon. As the heir of the valley, can you only cry?"

"As high as glory, Attis, as high as glory, crying will not gain the glory at all. Hold up your responsibility, no matter what your king and the people you want to protect are like, the price of glory is high, give up While you are cowardly, you also need the eagle eye to see through everything and the readiness to pounce on the ground at any time, even if you are shattered to pieces."

After that, his father hurried back to King's Landing, and they were separated for several years.

Attis only felt that his whole body was as heavy as lead. He was always very tired whenever he thought about what his father said about the education of the eldest son and heir. His dream had always been to travel around the entire known world, from the land of winter to the land of summer. The sea, from Essos to the Land of Shadows, was so free and unrestrained, until he realized what it meant to be the heir of the Vale.

"Dong dong dong!" There was a knock on the door.

"Attis, it's me, Anda."

"Anda Royce, Yorn's eldest son." Attis thought to himself, "Wait a moment, Anda."

After putting on his clothes and opening the door, Anda's thin, shrewd-looking face, like his father's, came into Attis' sight.

Attis pointed to the golden wine on the round table behind him, "Thank you for your father's attentive hospitality. The golden wine from Qingting Island is the most refreshing."

Anda just nodded, as if he was eager to get to the point.

"Attis, I heard that you have a younger brother." Anda took a sip of wine and looked at Attis.

"The new eagle of the valley, of course I know, Anda, I'm glad to have a younger brother." Attis lay comfortably on the chair next to him, rocking.

Anda realized something first and quickly congratulated, "This is really a great event for the valley. Congratulations to Lord Aylin who is far away in King's Landing."

He changed the subject, "But, I'm a little worried."

"I heard that my brother is in good health and well-nourished. Anda, there is no need to worry. The eagles of the Aelin family have always been strong." Attis replied calmly.

"Ah ah ah, of course there is no need to worry about the young master's health." Anda paused, "But what I am worried about is Mrs. Aylin."

The first person Attis reacted to was his mother, Luyuna Aylin.But he quickly ruled her out.He knew that Anda was referring to Lysa Tully, or Lysa Arryn.

Attis did not respond, but looked at Anda quietly, "The eagle only lands once when catching prey, watch carefully." He thought to himself.

"Lady Arryn always seems to be nervous." Anda said quietly. "Many people can testify that there are such rumors in the Vale, King's Landing, and many places."

Attis didn't respond.

Seeing this, Anda seemed to be bolder. "It's not just a mental illness. I heard that she and Littlefinger." Anda swallowed nervously, "Littlefinger and Lysa are in King's Landing together. This cunning guy from the Five Finger Peninsula has to Be careful, Attis."

Disgust surged from Attis's chest, but he remained expressionless. For him, it was particularly important to show family unity.

"My brother is a true eagle, Lady Lysa is the respected Matron of the Vale, and the Royce family has sworn allegiance to the Arryn family. You should know this."

Anda swallowed his drink. "Of course it is clear that Royce will defend the honor of the Aylin family to the death."

"Honour." Attis thought to himself, a little fed up with word games, and gripped the handle of his wine glass tightly.

Adachi leaned closer to the table and said in a low voice, "I didn't mean to do this, but Lady Lysa is known to be unstable."

Attis thought of Lady Lysa's eyes.

"Lord Attis Arryn, the Royce family will defend you to the death." Anda seemed to blurt out all the words that needed to be conveyed, and then talked to himself about Weimar's name day, bursts of laughter could be heard in the room from time to time. Voice.

After sending Anda away, Attis closed the door and carefully recalled Anda's statement. He couldn't help but worry whether this represented the voice of the nobles of the valley. Since Lady Lysa's very rude behavior at the Eyrie City banquet, her The emotional changes were accurately noticed by the nobles of the valley, making many nobles and wealthy knights in the valley feel uneasy.

This land surrounded by the Mingyue Mountains is used to stability, and the people and even the nobles living in it do not like unstable leadership.

But excluding other factors, the loyalty of the Royce family has indeed been conveyed to his heart. Although Anda's method makes him unhappy, he can undoubtedly trust this family.

He is the attendant of "Bronze Yohn" Yohn Royce, and it is very likely that he will be awarded the title of knight by him in the future. The meaning of this political binding is self-evident.

Besides, there is the friendship with Weimar.

As for Littlefinger, ever since his father asked him to take over the tax affairs of Seagull Town, most of the valley nobles were dissatisfied. They were first dissatisfied that this small nobleman from the Five Fingers Peninsula could dominate the entire valley and use the power of the Royal Council to suppress them. They are bossing around financially, but they are not grateful at all for the obvious improvement in fiscal revenue.

After thinking about it, Attis fell into a dream. He thought of Adam the Lynx. His identity as the eldest son in reality was left in reality. There was no Lord Attis Aylin in the dream.

(End of this chapter)