"Cripples are not bandits in the usual sense." When Danny asked what 'cripples' meant, Monk Meribad had a complicated look on his face, as if he was deep in his memories.
After a while, he sighed. "They were once simple commoners who never left their huts, not even three kilometers away. Until one day, the suzerain summoned them.
They bid farewell to their wives and children, wore tattered shoes and tattered clothes, and set off under the suzerain's beautiful flag.
They carried sickles, sharpened hoes, and perhaps a hatchet. Or worse, they could only use leather ropes to tie rocks to sticks to make simple hammers.
Brothers, father and son, and friends embarked on the journey together.
Although they lived in the countryside, they had all heard the songs and stories of legendary heroes. When they set off, they were all eager, dreaming of witnessing wonders, winning wealth and glory, and even fantasizing that they would one day become the main character in the story.
Unfortunately, war was a noble game that seemed noble but was actually cruel to the extreme. Most people woke up from their dreams on the first day they set foot on the battlefield, their dreams shattered, and they did not even have the chance to wake up.
Those who were lucky enough to survive had mental breakdowns, but most of them persevered numbly. Day after day, year after year, they had participated in countless battles. A brother watched his brother die, a father lost his son, a friend's stomach was split open by an axe, and he still tried to stuff his own intestines …
In such a scene, even those who survived the hundredth battle might break down in the 101st battle.
They saw the suzerain who led them on the battlefield being cut down, and another suzerain loudly announcing that they now belonged to him.
Their injuries were only half healed, and then they were inflicted with new injuries.
They never had enough to eat, and their shoes gradually fell apart during the endless march. Their clothes were tattered into rags, and many of them fell sick from drinking dirty water, shitting and peeing in their pants.
They wanted new boots, warmer cloaks, and it would be safer if they had rusty iron half-helmets. The suzerain would not provide these things, so they went to loot the corpses.
Not long after, they became accustomed to stealing from the living. In the land where the war was going on, there were commoners just like them in the past. They stole from these people, stealing chickens and dogs, slaughtering cows and sheep, and snatching the daughters of the commoners. Even if they were discovered, they were not afraid. They were soldiers, and in their hands, they even held the notice of the lord's grain requisition, while the other party was just an ordinary person.
One day, they looked around and woke up from their daze. All their friends and relatives had passed away, they were surrounded by strangers, and the flags on their heads were unrecognizable.
They were so terrified that they did not know where they were or how to return home. They even forgot their home, thinking that it was another person's memory …
They fought for their lord, who did not know their names, and would only shout in a commanding voice to them to form up, and to take up spears and scythes and sharpened hoes, and to stand their ground.
Then, the knights attacked. Those knights were fully armored and their faces couldn't be seen. When they charged, the sound of metal clanging filled the entire world …
Finally, they broke down and decided to escape. After the battle, they would crawl away from the corpses and sneak out of the camp in the dark night to find a place to hide.
They deserted the army and became disabled.
By that time, all the traditional values and glory had disappeared. Kings, lords, and gods were not even as good as a piece of rotten meat, which could at least let them live for one more day, or as good as a bag of bad wine, which could temporarily drown their fear.
The life of a deserter is like that of a wild beast, not a human being. "
Silence filled the cabin. Only the sound of the river flowing outside the ship could be heard. Finally, the old monk took a few breaths and said sadly, "At this time, there are many disabled people in the area of the three rivers. We should be vigilant against them. We can also execute them after they commit crimes, but it's best to understand and sympathize with them first."
"Disabled people do deserve sympathy." Danny's expression was complicated. "The peasants in the Westeros seem to have it worse than the slaves. The reform must be very strong. I have to think about it …"
"Bang!"
The pockmarked young man knocked her on the head again. Before Danny could summon a Megalosaurus to spray his face, he choked and said, "What's there to sympathize with? Three northerners entered my family's manor. My father thought they were allies, so he took out bread to entertain them.
But after eating and drinking their fill, their beastly nature flared up. They hacked my father and big brother to death, and raped and killed my ten-year-old little sister. Is that something a human would do? All disabled people deserve to be killed! "
Forget it, Blackie, you don't have to come down …
The ferry made many turns in the river and finally swayed into a dense reed bush. The Brotherhood took out a leather hood and covered Danny and the others' eyes. Then, they took them to the shore. A few horses were waiting there. They were helped to get on the horses and wandered in the wet and cold forest for more than an hour.
In the end, the headgear was removed and they arrived in front of a low cave. There was a forest all around them. The leaves had fallen, and it was completely bare. Only a withered finger-like tree trunk could be seen.
The air in the cave was cold and gloomy. There was the smell of mud, insects, and mold. Above their heads were rocks and roots emerged from the cracks. Below their feet were gravel and yellow mud.
It seemed that there were caves, cracks, and gaps everywhere. The roads extended in all directions, like a dense spider web. The Brotherhood held a torch and led the way. Along the way, they met many guards who were guarding the entrance.
"Why did we come to a place like this? The cave is narrow. It's not safer than the wilderness," Professor Perestan complained.
His buttocks and thighs were injured. It was difficult for him to move. He was carried on Barristan's back.
Danny understood his reminder. But even though the old professor had seen the process of her "True Dragon Roar" killing wolves, he did not fully understand her trump card.
The Megalosaurus could not enter the cave. But in a narrow space, her "True Dragon Roar" was more powerful. With Barristan in Valleglia's steel armor as a meat shield, Danny was confident that she would be safe.
Well, if the worst happened, she might not have time to care about the old professor. His worries were reasonable in some ways.
After passing through a short tunnel, they entered a huge cave. It was a wide space of four to five hundred square meters. It was filled with bandits.
"Cough, cough, cough …" Before entering the cave, Danny choked on the green smoke that floated over and coughed.
The bandits had dug a big fire pit in the middle of the muddy ground. Many people crowded around the fire to keep warm and resist the cold air in the cave. But in such an enclosed environment, the smoke did not float out. The air quality was too poor.
The arrival of Dani and the others woke up the people who were sleeping on the straw mats. There were men, women, and even a few children. They hid in their mothers' arms and poked their heads out to look around. All of them looked pitiful and sallow.
They did not go down to disturb the refugees. They followed the wall and came to a rock crack on the opposite side.
In the long and narrow space of thirty square meters, there was a wooden table. A woman in gray sat behind it. She was wearing a cloak and a hood. It was too dark to see her face clearly. But the eyes under the hood shone with a cold light. They seemed to be more terrifying than Danny's when she was in the state of Dragon Soul Fusion.
It was late at night. She did not rest. She was playing with a bronze crown with a circle of black iron swords around it. She looked at it and touched the blades with her fingers as if to test how sharp they were.
"Madam, I brought them here." Lemon, who was wearing a dog's head iron helmet, shouted.
The big man guarding the door glanced at Danny and the others. He pointed at Britney and said, "Judge the bitch who killed the king first."
"What? What did you call me? "Britney was stunned.
"You are a lion!" A young man with a northern accent came over with Britney's Oathkeeper Sword and placed it on the table in front of Madam Stoneheart. There was a golden lion head at the back of the sword hilt. The ruby eyes shone like two red stars.
"And this …" A gray-haired old man put a piece of parchment beside the sword. "There is the seal of the little king on it. It says that the bearer is working for him."
Danny paid special attention to him. He was wearing a tattered old robe, pale red and white. His gray hair was long and messy. The skin on his cheeks and chin was loose. His face was covered with coarse stubble. He was not handsome.
However, there were two clusters of raging flames in the old man's eyes like volcanic eruptions, which were only slightly inferior to her nine-colored vortex. He was actually the most powerful wizard she had ever seen, and also the most powerful Red God Priest.
Well, except for Benello. She did not know much about the Supreme Priest.
This man should be Myrthoros.
Madam Stoneheart put the sword aside and began to read the letter.
Britney also began to argue. "I am not a lion. I serve Lady Catelyn Stark. The sword was given to me by Sir Jaime. He swore —"
"Hound of the Third," Lemon interrupted her. "Who in Westeros doesn't know about the Kingslayer and his oath?"
"He promised Lady Catelyn to return her daughters. But when he arrived at King's Landing, they were gone. Then, Jaime sent me out to find Lady Sansa … "
"If you find the girl," the northerner asked with a mocking smile. "What will you do with her?"
"Protect her. Take her to a safe place, "Britney said with certainty.
The big man laughed. "Where would that be? Cersei's dungeon? Even we know that Cersei has a bounty on the girl. A hundred gold royals! "
"No, I'll take her to Riverrun, to the Vale of Arryn, even back to the North. I swear to keep her safe," Britney said hurriedly.
"Liar!" The big man shouted. "You have Lannister's sword, a letter from the little king, and two lions by your side. How stupid would we be to believe your nonsense?"
"Bring them here," the big man said, pointing at Hayhunt and Bodrick.
"This boy is the Imp's squire," he sneered, pointing at Bodrick and then at the scar-faced knight. "He's Blue the Bloody's knight. He's on the lion's side. His hands are stained with blood. That bastard Tali has already hanged twenty of our brothers. "
"Do you admit to your crimes?"
"Yes, I'm Lord Tyrion's squire," Bodrick said in a panic. "But I have no enmity with the Brotherhood Without a Banner."
"Being a lion is a sin."
Hayhunt sighed, looking defeated. "These bandits don't abide by the sacred oath at all. Freyr was hanged even after paying the ransom. My family is poor to begin with. I can't afford to waste money."
The big man announced, "Two hangings!"
Then he walked up to Meribad and frowned in disgust. "Why did you bring this old bastard here again? Don't you think it's troublesome? Let him go. Let him leave with his donkey and dog. "
"You …" The big man looked at Danny for a while. "Your face is oily, your cheeks are fat —"
"What?" Danny was furious. "You said I'm fat?!!"
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