Brienne knelt, drenched in sweat, her hair plastered to her scalp. A longsword rested on her shoulder, its blade dangerously close to her head.
The slightest forward movement, and blood would flow.
She had lost completely; from the moment she'd first struck, she hadn't landed a single hit on him. He dodged with effortless grace, nimble as a fish.
"It seems I've won," Cole said, swirling the sword's edge in the air before sliding it into its scabbard.
Brienne bit her lip hard. She wasn't sure if the liquid on her cheeks was sweat or something else entirely. His footsteps faded, and she heard scattered cheers erupting from the training grounds.
"Brienne!" an anxious voice called.
With difficulty, she lifted her head, seeing her father's frightened eyes. Lord Selwyn's gaze swept over her, trying to assess any injuries. Aside from a dark smudge on her face, he saw no other wounds, yet he knew she'd taken at least six or seven blows during the fight.
He helped her to her feet. "What were you thinking?" Seeing his daughter's dejected state, Selwyn didn't know how to scold her.
"Father, this was my own decision."
"Well, if Storm's End taught you this, then I truly regret sending you here," her father said, once again filled with remorse.
Leaning on him, she stumbled out of the training grounds.
Cole hung Winter's Night on the wall and asked his servants to help him remove his armor. He picked up a sheet of paper from the table and began to list castles:
Evenfall HallGreenstone CastleRain House
He put a checkmark next to several, including Evenfall Hall and Crow's Nest. Cole was still waiting for more ravens to arrive from other families. Lord Gulian Swann of Stonehelm sent a letter praising Cole's accomplishments but claimed he was too ill to visit Storm's End in person. Lord Estermont of Greenstone sent a raven, furiously denouncing Cole as a treasonous conspirator and calling upon the lords of Storm's End to muster their troops to kill the "traitor Cole."
He put a question mark next to Stonehelm and then drew a harsh cross through Greenstone. He unrolled a map, quickly locating Estermont Island in the sea off Cape Wrath. Cole seemed to understand the source of their confidence: Storm's End had no fleet.
Searching through the records of Storm's End families found in the study, he pulled out the Estermont family's catalog. The latest entry contained information about the current generation: Cassana Estermont, married to Steffon Baratheon, the late Lord of Storm's End, and mother to their three sons: Robert, Stannis, and Renly. She had died in a storm in Shipbreaker Bay.
"Your Highness, Lady Brienne is asking to see you," a guard announced, knocking on the door.
"Tell her to come to the study." Cole took off his sword, tied it to his waist, put on his cloak, and walked out of the bedroom.
She had changed into rough breeches and leather armor, but she carried no sword. The mud had been washed from her face, revealing her freckles. Her washed hair, still a little damp, fell across her forehead.
"It's good that you feel much more energetic," Cole remarked.
But "Beauty" Brienne didn't seem to appreciate his observation. "I want to know, where is Shireen Baratheon?"
Cole shook his head. "I don't know either."
Her brow furrowed.
"I know no more than you, my lady. All I can tell you is that her fate, alive or dead, is unknown," he said, shaking his head again. "If you find out she is dead, simply inform me, and our deal will be concluded."
Send her to find someone whose fate was completely unknown? Brienne's frown deepened. She knew Shireen Baratheon was Stannis's daughter.
"Okay," she finally agreed with a nod.
As she walked out of the study, she turned her back to Cole. "I am still your enemy," she stated.
Cole smiled. "Of course."
Brienne rode a warhorse across the drawbridge of Storm's End. He had returned her armor and sword, and even provided a new blue cloak, robes, and a brand-new knight's shield. She glanced back at the towering castle from horseback.
Whatever she was thinking, her gaze shifted to the gatehouse below, where her father stood watching her. That white hair made her heart ache. She gritted her teeth, turned, lightly dug in her spurs, and galloped away.
At midnight, the lights in Storm's End's study were still burning. In that time, when only the hooting of an owl broke the silence, all of Westeros fell still. Cole looked out the window. The moonless night was exceptionally dark, with only a faint candlelight illuminating his study.
And he wasn't the only one awake tonight; a pair of eyes hovered above the storm lands. Caesar spread his wings, soaring through the clouds. The mountains, rivers, forests, and canyons he saw were transmitted to the study in Storm's End like a living painting.
His stylus, full of ink, moved across the parchment, detailing the storm lands' outline. As the last drop of ink fell, the sky began to lighten.
He stretched his neck, put down the stylus, pushed his chair back, and stood up. A ray of morning sun slowly rose from the sea, and the cold wind on his face was refreshing.
As the grey world brightened, the immense castle came to life. Servants moved through the corridors.
Cole adjusted the high collar of his white silk undershirt, put on a black wool vest, and buttoned it before donning a black cloak. He rolled up the map on the table and placed it in a drawer.
Just then, a servant brought a plate of breakfast: a cup of hot milk with honey and a bagel with fruit syrup.
The assembly horn sounded outside the castle, and soldiers scrambled from their tents, quickly rushing to the parade grounds. Those who didn't rise promptly would lose their lunch, and almost no one dared to hesitate. Soon, dozens of companies, large and small, had formed in the barracks.
The sounds of training echoed through Storm's End Castle, often attracting residents from the town to watch. In the open training grounds, cavalry figures could be seen on horseback, and soldiers marched in orderly lines, holding fifteen-foot spears.
Cole tallied the armor in the arsenal and then proceeded to the storeroom to inspect the castle's material reserves.
After enjoying lunch in the castle, he left with a contingent of guards and headed to the town's docks, where most of the shipbuilders under Storm's End's jurisdiction were gathered.
Cole had hired them to build ships, paying them salaries and exempting their families from taxes. Shipbuilding had already begun, with a steady stream of wagons from the Royal Forest transporting raw materials.
The income and expenditure of Storm's End fluctuated daily, but overall, expenditure exceeded income. Gilbert complained every day that Cole shouldn't treat his soldiers so well.