CHAPTER 145
For several days, Garon led the army along the road toward the Stony Shore. After passing Sea Dragon Point and Torrhen's Square, the weather changed drastically. The already gloomy sky was covered with fine drifting snow, and the air became damp and bitterly cold. Fortunately, both the Glover soldiers and the Skagosi were accustomed to the harsh climate of the North.
The northern wind cut through the marching column like a blade, while swirling snow lashed against the soldiers' frostbitten faces. Deepwood Motte's blood-red banner bearing the silver fist struggled against the fierce wind. Seven hundred Glover soldiers maintained a perfectly disciplined formation, advancing in silence like a moving wall of steel. In contrast, the five hundred Skagosi warriors under Chieftain Sparta resembled an unruly blizzard. Their ranks stretched loosely across the road as they laughed, shouted, and joked as though they were simply heading out on a hunt rather than marching to war. Every so often, they drifted too close to the disciplined Glover formation, causing small disputes to flare between the two groups.
Garon rode at the front of the column, his sharp eyes sweeping across the entire army like a hawk. He knew the friction between the two forces was, at its core, a struggle between discipline and barbarism.
Asha, riding beside him, was all too familiar with such clashes. Most of the crew who had once sailed aboard the Black Wind behaved very much like the Skagosi. In fact, among all the armies she had ever seen, none possessed the discipline displayed by Garon's Glover soldiers.
"Garon, you've trained the men of Deepwood Motte until they move as one."
"Can you really train the Skagosi to become like this as well?"
A teasing smile spread across Asha's lips as though she had already imagined Garon losing his patience with the unruly islanders. Although they were allies for the moment, she could not resist enjoying the difficulties placed before him.
Garon had anticipated this long ago. The moment he decided to incorporate the Skagosi into his army, he had already accepted that integrating them would be the greatest challenge.
"The Skagosi are fierce by nature. Right now, they only obey because I defeated their chieftain."
"If I truly want them to follow me, I must slowly wear away their wild instincts."
"I need an opportunity to establish unquestionable authority over them."
Holding his reins against the biting wind, Garon gazed at the winding column before quietly murmuring to himself,
"No hurry."
"The time hasn't come yet."
After a brief moment of thought, he flicked his riding crop and continued leading the army forward.
Unexpectedly, that opportunity arrived far sooner than he had imagined.
After marching for half the day, dusk gradually settled across the North. Garon selected a wooded area sheltered from the wind and ordered the army to establish camp for the night.
Once camp had been erected, he instructed Ron and several trusted men to prepare food for the soldiers.
Meanwhile, a number of Skagosi quietly slipped away into the nearby forest to hunt.
As oatmeal simmered over the campfires, the hunting party returned carrying a large elk. Laughing loudly, they butchered the animal on the spot, slicing off massive chunks of fresh meat.
They skewered the meat directly over the flames, and the rich aroma soon drifted throughout the camp. Some impatient Skagosi did not even wait for it to cook, tearing off bloody slices of half-raw venison and devouring them greedily.
Not far away, one of the Glover soldiers watched the scene with obvious disgust before quietly mocking his companion.
"A bunch of savages."
"They don't even know how to cook meat properly."
Several nearby Glover soldiers immediately burst into laughter, their eyes filled with contempt as they looked toward the Skagosi.
Their laughter echoed clearly through the otherwise peaceful camp.
A huge Skagosi warrior gnawing on a venison leg suddenly looked up.
The scars crisscrossing his face twisted with anger.
"Tin can."
"What are you laughing at?"
Throwing aside the half-eaten leg, he strode over like an enraged bear until he stood directly before the Glover soldier.
"Apologize."
"Or I'll knock every tooth out of your mouth."
His furious roar sprayed saliva across the soldier's face.
The surrounding Skagosi immediately gathered behind him, glaring threateningly.
The Glover soldiers instinctively stepped together as well, gripping their weapons.
The atmosphere instantly became explosive.
One of the Glover officers immediately sensed trouble.
Without hesitation, he rushed toward the command tent to report everything to Garon and Chieftain Sparta.
The two exchanged a glance before leaving the tent together.
"What's going on here?"
Just as bloodshed was about to erupt, Garon and Sparta arrived.
Their appearance caused both sides to restrain themselves slightly, though the hostility remained obvious.
"Hmph."
"Lord Garon, why are your men insulting us?"
The scar-faced Skagosi briefly explained what had happened.
"We hunted our own food."
"We're eating what we caught."
"What right do they have to mock us?"
Sparta frowned.
To him, hunting during camp was perfectly natural, and he instinctively sided with his own people.
Garon ignored Sparta for the moment.
Instead, he looked directly at the Glover soldier.
"Is what he said true?"
The soldier hesitated briefly before lowering his head and nodding.
Only then did Garon turn toward the scar-faced Skagosi.
"He insulted you."
"That was his fault."
"According to military discipline, insulting comrades and sowing division deserves punishment."
"Shanks."
"He's one of your own men."
"You'll carry out the sentence."
"Three lashes."
Shanks stepped through the crowd with a cold expression.
"Move aside."
After glaring at the trembling soldier, he growled,
"You've disgraced both yourself and the Glovers."
"If this happens again, I won't wait for Lord Garon."
"I'll double your punishment myself."
Taking the whip Ron handed him, Shanks delivered three heavy lashes across the soldier's back.
Crack.
Crack.
Crack.
The soldier merely groaned through clenched teeth, refusing to cry out despite his pale face.
Once the punishment ended, several comrades helped him away.
The Skagosi wore smug expressions, while Sparta himself nodded approvingly, believing the matter had been handled fairly.
Just as he was about to praise Garon, Garon's expression suddenly turned cold.
His gaze fixed firmly upon the scar-faced warrior.
"He insulted you."
"That was his fault."
"But you left camp without permission to hunt."
"You also escalated the situation and nearly started a fight."
"According to my military discipline, you will receive twenty strokes of the cane."
"In addition, your meat ration is suspended for the next three days."
"What?"
The scar-faced Skagosi stared in disbelief.
"We Skagosi have always done things this way..."
Before he could continue, Garon stepped forward.
His overwhelming presence instantly silenced not only the scar-faced warrior but even Sparta himself.
"Here..."
"There are no Skagosi."
"There are no Northmen."
"There are only my soldiers."
"There is only one voice here."
"My voice."
"I will not favor anyone because of where they come from."
"Nor will I punish anyone unfairly because of their origins."
"If you obey me, I will lead you to victory and glory."
"But anyone who violates military law will receive equal punishment."
He raised one hand.
"Carry out the sentence."
Several expressionless Glover veterans stepped forward immediately.
Ignoring the struggling Skagosi, they restrained him without hesitation.
Sparta instinctively wanted to intervene.
Yet the murderous look in Garon's eyes stopped him cold.
Only then did he realize Garon was completely serious.
An indescribable fear quietly arose within him.
By the time he recovered his senses, the punishment had already been carried out.
The Skagosi standing behind him were utterly stunned.
None of them had expected Garon to punish one of their own so severely.
Garon never even looked toward the warrior being dragged away.
Instead, his gaze swept across every Skagosi present.
"I defeated your chieftain."
"So you obey my strength."
"But from today onward..."
"I want you to obey my rules."
"These rules will keep you alive."
"They will win battles."
"And they will save your homeland."
"Anyone who challenges them again..."
"This will be your fate."
He then turned toward the Glover soldiers.
His expression remained equally cold.
"Watch your tongues."
"Since they've joined this army..."
"They're your comrades."
"You'll fight beside them."
"You'll bleed beside them."
"And if anyone deliberately provokes another dispute again..."
"Your punishment will be doubled."
Having settled everything, Garon acted as though nothing unusual had happened.
He turned and calmly walked back toward the command tent.
Sparta remained standing there silently for several moments before finally leaving without saying a word.
Whether Glover soldier or Skagosi warrior, everyone present had been deeply shaken by Garon's absolute fairness.
Little by little, they instinctively began obeying his authority.
The hostility between both groups also faded considerably.
Standing quietly at the edge of the camp, Asha witnessed the entire scene.
Her heart pounded violently.
Not from fear.
But from an excitement she could scarcely describe.
"Power maintained only through violence will eventually be destroyed by even greater violence."
"Only fair punishment truly earns people's respect."
She had seen countless Ironborn captains maintain discipline through cruelty.
Such methods only produced fear and temporary obedience.
The first violent storm at sea would wash everything away.
Yet Garon had resolved the conflict with only a single fair judgment.
Not only had he ended the confrontation, he had engraved the meaning of discipline into everyone's hearts.
Such mastery over human nature was far more terrifying and far more captivating than brute force.
"He is even wiser and more capable than I imagined."
"I have to win him over."
Asha's eyes shone with the possessiveness unique to the Ironborn.
She silently made up her mind.
That very night, without the slightest hesitation, she walked toward Garon's command tent.
Upon entering, she found Garon bent over a table studying a map.
The flickering lamplight danced across his profile, outlining his sharp features.
"What you did today..."
"It was brilliant."
A trace of admiration appeared in Asha's voice.
"I never imagined anyone could truly tame a pack of wild beasts."
Garon looked up calmly.
"They aren't beasts."
"They're warriors."
"They simply need to learn how to become better warriors."
Asha seemed unconvinced.
Stepping closer, she fixed her burning eyes upon him.
"So that's what you truly want?"
"To forge these scattered people into the army you desire?"
"And after that?"
"Will you continue expanding House Stark's territory?"
Garon relaxed slightly before straightening his body.
A faint smile appeared as he slowly looked Asha up and down.
He deliberately remained silent.
Under his gaze, Asha's heart trembled.
Everything she had experienced since becoming his prisoner finally transformed into an irresistible impulse.
Filled with admiration for strength, she finally voiced what she believed to be her sincerest invitation.
"Glover."
"Your future shouldn't be confined to the North."
"Come with me."
"Come to the sea."
"That's where you truly belong."
"Whatever House Stark can offer you..."
"I can offer you as well."
Garon calmly studied her.
His eyes reflected nothing beneath the dancing firelight.
It was as though he were silently judging whether she even possessed the qualifications to recruit him.
Asha straightened her back proudly.
She waited confidently for his answer.
She believed he was testing her resolve.
Yet after a long silence, Garon merely replied calmly,
"It's getting late, Lady Asha."
"You should return and rest."
"We march again tomorrow."
Asha's heart slowly sank.
She understood immediately.
Her attempt to recruit Garon had failed.
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