At Malora's request, the journey proceeded at a forced-march pace. If they missed a town or village, they camped directly in the wild. Thus, it took William's party only ten days to travel from Highgarden to King's Landing.
Camping outdoors naturally had many inconveniences. Surprisingly, although Malora carried herself with an air of a queen, she wasn't one for excessive comfort. Her maid, Dora, had previously been a scullery maid and was quite hardy and accustomed to hardship.
The fact that the two ladies uttered no complaints about such a strenuous trip earned them considerable admiration from William and the other knights, who began to view them in a new light.
Traveling along the Roseroad through the Kingswood, they crossed the Blackwater Rush by ferry at the port and entered King's Landing through the River Gate, commonly known as the Mud Gate.
At this time, the three trebuchets known as the Three Whores were not yet present. Merchant ships shuttled busily back and forth on the river. Near the city gates, crowds surged, and a steady stream of traffic moved incessantly, presenting a scene of prosperous times.
No one would have thought that just two years later, this place would experience a great battle decisive for the ownership of the Iron Throne. And it was through this very battle that the Imp's talents began to be recognized by the world.
Almost as soon as she stepped off the boat, Malora frowned, the fishy smell carried by the wind making her extremely uncomfortable. After entering King's Landing, the indescribable stench permeating the air made her expression even darker, as if she were on the verge of exploding. Dora shrank into a corner of the carriage, not daring to breathe loudly, wishing she could become invisible.
It wasn't until they entered the wealthy district near the Old Gate that the foul odor lessened somewhat.
The party arrived at an inn called the Golden Rose. William went to the carriage and knocked on the window. "Lady Malora, we'll rest here today."
Malora stepped down from the carriage, her face expressionless. Seeing the inn's imposing main door and elegant, rounded arch windows, she nodded and led the way inside.
William followed her into the high-ceilinged entrance hall. A faint floral scent, exquisite carvings, and a classical lute in the corner created a fresh and leisurely atmosphere.
Seeing that Malora's back seemed to lighten, Dora was overjoyed and gave William a thumbs-up. William smiled, thinking that this inn truly lived up to its reputation.
After getting settled, William went alone to the Street of Steel. The street was, as always, bustling, noisy, and crowded, the clanging sounds seeming never to cease.
Arriving at Master Tobho Mott's shop entrance, the young apprentice girl at the door, without waiting for him to speak, glanced at the Golbat brooch on William's chest, immediately turned around, and ran inside.
Shortly after, Tobho's voice could be heard loudly instructing the girl to fetch wine, followed by the man himself hurrying out, all smiles, eagerly ushering William inside.
After exchanging a few pleasantries and sampling some Arbor Gold, Tobho led William to a secret, small storeroom.
The storeroom contained quite a few items made of Valyrian steel, some intact, others damaged, of various shapes and kinds. These were all items the two had acquired before going to Highgarden, taking advantage of the low prices for Valyrian steel.
Now, at least in King's Landing, the price for similar items had doubled, and they were scarce on the market. Even if they sold these items directly now, both could make a hefty profit.
William examined the Valyrian steel items one by one, actually using his mental power to sense for magical fluctuations. Tobho guarded the door, holding his breath and not making a sound.
This was a kind of understanding between the two: William could identify differences in Valyrian steel; Tobho could smelt and rework it. They did not probe into each other's secrets. Furthermore, because William's skill was rarer, Tobho had voluntarily proposed that William take a larger share of the profits.
In the end, William picked out four groups of items that could be reforged together. Unfortunately, they were all quite small, only sufficient for crafting daggers.
However, four Valyrian steel daggers could fetch at least three hundred gold dragons, while the cost of these materials certainly wouldn't exceed thirty gold dragons—and that was after the price increase. Such enormous profits naturally left both men very satisfied and even more optimistic about the future prospects of this venture.
Tobho carefully separated the materials and then suggested with a smile, "Ser, as you can see, there's quite a bit of material left. How about forging a suit of armor for you, similar to the one made for Ser Garlan?"
William was tempted for a moment but quickly restrained himself. "Didn't Highgarden say they want armor? When will the materials be delivered?"
"They agreed to deliver them next month. Moreover, a few days ago, both Storm's End and Casterly Rock sent envoys to discuss terms. They seemed quite sincere."
"Then there's no hurry. Wait until they've all delivered the materials. I'll come back to appraise them then. Perhaps we can gather enough for a sword..."
The thought was so enticing that William couldn't help but indulge in the fantasy. Hearing this, Tobho also nodded repeatedly, his face filled with longing.
In truth, William had another idea. The remaining Valyrian steel here was only enough for a breastplate. The items delivered by the various houses would come in all shapes and sizes; melting them down into armor plates would inevitably involve some "reasonable loss."
By then, there should be enough material to craft a full set of Valyrian steel armor, including a breastplate, pauldrons, arm guards, and leg guards. Only wearing such a full suit would truly allow William to fight without worries, enabling him to charge into enemy ranks like an unstoppable force.
As he left the Street of Steel, an idea formed in William's mind: Valyrian steel items in Westeros had all been imported from the East. Perhaps there were more such items in Essos, and at cheaper prices? Maybe he should find an opportunity to go there and procure some?
Since Malora intensely disliked King's Landing, they stayed only one night. The next day, without even having time to visit Barristan, they hurriedly left the stinking capital of the Seven Kingdoms.
After leaving King's Landing, everyone felt as if a weight had been lifted. The sunlight seemed warmer, the breeze gentler.
The outskirts of the capital were dotted with cattle and sheep grazing leisurely. Apples and strawberries grew on trees and on the ground, and farmsteads were surrounded by piles of various crops.
The roads were filled with an endless stream of ox-carts and horse-drawn carriages, a testament to the prosperity and wealth of the Crownlands.
The weather over the next few days was not particularly good, but Malora paid it no mind, so the party pressed north along the Kingsroad, rain or shine.
Due to seeking shelter from the rain, they spent a night in the tower house at Sow's Horn and met the old knight, Ser Roger Hogg. Ser Roger was stoutly built, and his sigil featured a spotted boar, which reminded William of House Wode, a vassal of House Whent, whose sigil bore three white porcupines.
The "Magic Knight" was not as famous in the Crownlands as he was in the Reach, but the old knight had actually heard of Barristan knighting a young hero at Highgarden—a youth who had defeated Barristan himself in the tournament and ultimately won the championship.
When William modestly stated that he dared not call himself a hero, the old knight's expression became quite vivid, and his hospitality grew even warmer. Later, they spent the evening talking about stories of Barristan.
The next day, the party crossed a small stream that marked the boundary between the Crownlands and the Riverlands. They arrived at a wooden fortress on a hill: the castle of House Wode.
Having been summoned by Lord Walder, the Wode brothers had already taken most of the castle's soldiers and archers to Harrenhal. The remaining steward received William with utmost deference.
The title "Heir of Harrenhal" might not carry much weight elsewhere, but here, on his own turf, it was different.
From here, William's party began skirting the God's Eye. Layers of ripples rose on the lake's surface with the wind, sparkling under the sunlight.
When the massive silhouette of Harrenhal began to loom in the distance, William inwardly heightened his vigilance.
Last time, when he was merely passing through with the rune disks, a giant bear had attacked them on the road. Now that the person directly involved had arrived, William wouldn't be surprised if several more bears showed up.
'This time, I've brought my full set of gear. If you've got a death wish, come on then.' William felt no fear.