Eagle of the Valley of Ice and Fire

He hung an orange cloak in front of the tent. Inside the tent, except for the stove in front of him that occasionally emitted a few sparks, flickering and swaying, the rest of the tent, including the hanging armor, the map on the desk, and the servants standing silently beside him, were motionless.

Bryce Cullen's thumb was on the brass ring on the scabbard, stroking it slowly, his eyes fixed on the orange cape on the stove, the firelight dancing on his face.

Suddenly, there was a gust of wind at the entrance of the tent, and the heavy sound of boots stepping on the ground was heard.

Lord Beric Dondarrion was fully armed, with a red sword belt grasped in his right hand and a half-sword pressed against the skirt armor at his waist.

Bryce Cullen picked up the sword and said, "It's too heavy, it's not easy to desert." He stood up and walked out of the tent. Following behind him, Dondarrion's cheeks were obviously tense, and he followed Earl Cullen with gritted teeth.

"Lord Carron," Beric Dondarrion continued to fill in the details of the battle for the commander, "Storm's End will not have more than three hundred defenders, most likely around two hundred. This has been the size of the garrison since Renly's time. Stannis has always been conservative in his military management and does not easily change his organization, so I think the number of defenders in the castle is around this number."

Bryce Cullen was listening to the wind and chose to remain silent.

The cavalry in the tent moved first, their stirrups hanging in the air and clanking. The sand and dust commonly seen on the ground in the hilly areas were swept up by the restless war horses, and the horseshoes collided with the ground, making a continuous "thump thump" sound.

"We are not going to fight, we are going to persuade people to surrender." Bryce Cullen took the reins handed to him by the servant, jumped onto the horse's back, made a few "whoosh" sounds, and ran out of the tent.

Beric Dondarrion raised his right fist, and a phalanx of cavalry holding purple lightning flags in the air quickly gathered in the direction of the lord.

"Boom, boom, boom!" As Berry marched forward, he looked at the position of Earl Cullen from afar. When he estimated the distance to be correct, he ordered the drummer to beat the drum. The rumbling signal quickly spread out from the Lightning King's army, like circles of yellow ash raised by horse hooves.

At the end of the hills, near the edge of the terrain community of Storm's End, scouts of the Dondarrion family emerged from the yellow sand one after another, and approached the mount of the commander of the border in a well-trained manner.

"Well done, Lightning Lord," Bryce Caron glanced at several scouts of House Dondarrion with admiration, "Perhaps if the walls of Storm's End were a little thinner and shorter, you and I could learn from Ser Barristan and climb over the wall to enter the city."

Beric Dondarrion glanced at Arstan, the head of the Selmy family, who was following beside him. The latter did not hold back his smile, noticed Beric's gaze, and smiled proudly in return.

"Perhaps our 'fearless' Ser Barristan will really go it alone when he gets here." Bryce Cullen followed his gaze and rode forward, his sight passed through the top of the hill and saw Storm's End towering over the land protruding out of the ocean in the distance, like a sharp dagger piercing into the chest, facing the roar of the tide with storm and magic. "Ha!" Earl Cullen laughed dumbly, and the hand holding the sword could not help but tighten a little more.

Everyone held their breath, and even the war horses under their crotches stopped neighing. They shook their tails nervously and kicked the hillocks with their front and hind hooves in an alternating manner.

"Woo!~" Almost as soon as he emerged, the sound of a military bugle sounded from behind the battlements of Storm's End. Even through Stormberg could imagine the hasty gathering of the soldiers on the city wall.

The garrison of Storm's End has always been composed of elite soldiers, which is something that all the lords of the borderlands know.

Because most of the soldiers were experts in the borderlands and rainforests, and they were all heroes and their descendants who had survived the Dornish scimitars, spears, and poisons, not to mention they had also experienced the baptism of the Usurper's War.

Bryce Cullen frowned and looked into the distance, then he squeezed his legs together and rode alone towards the city gate.

"Let me do it, you need protection more." Beric Dondarrion raised his sword belt and was about to move forward but was interrupted by Bryce Caron.

Count Cullen took the longbow from the servant and said, "No one of those archers in the sky can shoot me." He walked forward a dozen meters, counted his steps silently, stopped, then drew his bow and shot an arrow decisively. He put down the longbow, squinted his eyes and stared at the sky. Suddenly, several black dots appeared, his pupils shrank suddenly, and he kicked his legs, pulling the reins hard and pulling back. The warhorse was exhausted and quickly jumped back.

Several arrows fell to the ground and crashed into the yellow sand, just a few feet away from Bryce Cullen.

"Don't be so serious, Ser Dondarrion." Bryce Caron was a little out of breath, but he showed no regrets or fear. "At least it proves that I have sharp eyes and ears. Otherwise, I would not have had time to turn my horse's head when I was hit by the arrow."

Astan Selmy looked at Bryce Caron's embarrassed appearance, snorted coldly, and said, "If Ser Barristan were here, he would not be so reckless. Even if he was reckless, he would be able to move in and out calmly. Unlike you, you are so flustered. How can you be a lord of the border at all?"

Beric Dondarrion pointed forward with his whip in hand, interrupting the escalating argument between the two men. "The letter of surrender has been sent, and the warning horns have not stopped. We must retreat."

Bryce Cullen glanced at Dondarrion and walked ahead without saying anything.

Everyone retreated slowly until there was silence over Storm's End.

"Click", the city gate opened, and the soldiers of Wind's End quickly went out of the city, took the arrows, and returned to the city.

It was a cold and dry morning in Stormland, with very little moisture in the air. Beric Dondarrion pursed his lips, bent down to take out his water bag, and swallowed the water in small sips.

It was obvious that Count Cullen had brought wine with him. The red liquid flowed into his throat and he raised his head with an unsatisfied look, the wine gurgling in his throat.

Most likely the wine isn't strong enough, Beric Dondarrion thought.

The squires brought fodder and tended the horses, and Beric dismounted and stood with Arstan Selmy behind the hill, helping each other tighten the cords of his armor.

There were few green plants among the hills, and a little further away there was only a clump of grass rooted in the sand. As the sun gradually moved higher, dew gathered from the bottom of the grass, flowed along the branch-like roots, seeping through the sand, flowing bit by bit, until the first drop of water touched the layer of mud below, and then news came from Storm's End.

Dozens of knights walked out of the gate of Storm's End, stood side by side, and looked directly at their own cavalry.

Everyone stopped to rest and mounted their horses. Bryce, Berry and Astan were in the front, and more than 20 knights followed, galloping straight forward.

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Bryce Cullen stared at the leading knight opposite him, dismounted, and took a few steps forward. "Sir Gilbert Farling, I pay you my highest respects."

Ser Fallin's face is noticeably thinner than I had previously remembered, Beric Dondarrion thought.

"I know what you're going to say, Cullen boy."

Berry's heart tightened. Sir Farling's tone was obviously not one for negotiation.

"I have seen your parents, your brothers and sisters, and even your bastard brother who upholds honor!" Ser Faryn said proudly, "I feel sorry for what happened to your family. They were either loyal and brave border men or sensible girls with honor." He looked Bryce Caron up and down in front of him. "You were once Renly's Orange Guard, which is half of the Kingsguard, but you changed masters twice and had no honor! If it weren't for the severe cold that your family encountered, I'm afraid Nightsong City would still be flying the flag of King Stannis and fighting alongside me. And now?"

Ser Farin was indignant. "You want me to hand over Storm's End with just a letter of surrender? It's impossible. Back off, boy! And you guys, you bunch of boys!" Ser Farin frowned, his chest puffed out. "I'm waiting for Artis Arryn to lead the people of the Vale and the despicable Dornishmen to die on the walls of Storm's End! As a lord of the borderlands, you actually colluded with Dorne. It's a shame!"

Beric Dondarrion couldn't help but look at Bryce worriedly. He was worried that the young commander of the borderlands would be angry, but the latter's reaction was beyond his expectations.

Bryce Cullen's expression remained unchanged, and even his eyes did not twitch once. He was as calm as the solid fortress of Storm's End.

"Stannis is dead," Bryce Caron said, quietly even, even quieter than when he had spoken to Beric and Arstan. "His host is a thousand miles away, and Storm's End is without help."

Bryce Cullen looked at Ser Faryn's unshakable face. "Besides," he sneered, "the king who took Storm's End with the help of insiders and treacherous schemes and defeated Lord Renly is not worthy of my kneeling. Storm's End never belonged to you. If you surrender early, you may still survive. Otherwise, when the Iron Throne's army arrives, you will have no chance of winning."

"Hmph," Ser Faryn refuted directly. "If Artis Arryn and the little king really wanted to take Storm's End, they wouldn't have sent a few of you to hold us back." He glared. "The people of the Vale and the little king should first defeat the Ironborn before talking about taking Storm's End!"

He was testing, and Bryce saw through Gilbert Farling's pretense at a glance.

"Surrender or not!" Bryce Cullen drew his sword and pointed it at Gilbert Fallin.

"Storm's End has not surrendered to anyone except Dragonflame and the gods!" Sir Farling ignored him and drew his sword to respond in kind.