Chapter 154 - War of the Four Kings (I)
"Kings are the most selfish, self-centered and ego-driven men there can be. They are capable of waging wars just to avoid boredom, of spilling the blood of thousands just for fun. Yet men follow the king without any hesitation. Humanity is truly illogical." - Varys the Spider.
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Aenar sat in the main seat of the Great Hall of Twins and looked out at his court, which filled every seat. Although the corpses and blood had been removed, the smell of blood still hung subtly in the air.
"Now that we've conquered Twins, let's start dividing the armies." Aenar said to everyone. His eyes were calmer than ever.
"I'll go to the Vale of Arryn, while Rhaenys and Visenya will go to the Riverlands." Aenar said and continued. "Oberyn and Tyrion will follow my queen and sister, along with the entire Red Legion, to face the army of Houses Baratheon and Lannister in the Riverlands."
Honestly, Aenar was speechless at the misfortune of the Riverlands region. It was one of the most fertile and prosperous in Westeros, but because it was the battleground for almost every war on the continent, it suffered enormously from consecutive conflicts.
Now, once again, the Riverlands would be the scene of another battle. Although this was due to its geographical position and flat terrain, excellent for the cavalry to march on, Aenar lamented the region's bad luck.
"Lord Stark and the Northern Army will follow me into the Vale." Aenar spoke, looking at Eddard with a calm gaze. The reason he had brought Eddard and his army was simple: his uncle had grown up in the Vale and would be of great help in mobilizing the troops due to his familiarity with the terrain.
Eddard nodded and let out a sigh filled with complex emotions. He had never thought that one day he would conquer the Vale. Remembering his childhood, the Lord of Winterfell's mood turned even darker.
However, Eddard knew he couldn't back down at that moment, not when things were so far advanced. He had to continue with what he had agreed to do, not just for Aenar's sake, but to keep his family, who were still in Winterfell, safe.
"Yes, Your Grace."