Balerion saw Vhagar and Viserion chasing each other in the sky, broke free from Gendry's shoulder, and flew into the sky, joining the chase.
The Riverlands, which Gendry and the Old Knight discussed, are actually like the crossroads of Westeros. The Riverlands border the North, the Vale, the Westerlands, the Crownlands, and even the Iron Islands. It always suffers in major wars, and the Lords often act independently.
Many first men families once ruled as River Kings, including House Fisher, Blackwood Family, House Bracken, and House Mudd. After the andals invasion, the most successful River Kings were House Rivers (established by bastards of House Bracken and Blackwood Family) and House Teague.
However, House Teague, as the last native River Kings, was exterminated in the War of the Six Kings. The Riverlands first fell into the hands of the Storm King of the Durrandon family, and then was ruled by the Kings of the Isles and Rivers from House Hoare of the Iron Islands. Later, during the War of Conquest, Aegon the Conqueror created the title of Lord Paramount of the Trident River for the Lords of the Riverlands, incorporating the Riverlands into the Seven Kingdoms.
"I want to create a new Crownlands," Gendry said. "The ancient Storm King once expanded here, and the Ironborn also once forged the Iron Islands and the River Kingdom. Why can't I drive out the lions for The Three Rivers region?"
If the Crownlands, Riverlands, and Stormlands were united, and the Iron Islands were flattened, then the King's power would be infinite, not like the current lord of a single region.
"Your Grace, isn't your handling too cruel? Ser Edmure, though foolish, at least cares for his people; he is merely incompetent," Ser Barristan asked slowly.
If Gendry sent troops to relieve the siege, he wouldn't be helping for free. An uninvited liberator would eventually strip House Tully of its dominion and jurisdiction over the Riverlands.
"Do you think I'm cruel?" Gendry asked Anguy in return.
"What are you talking about? I remember that before the Dragon Kings arrived, our Stormlands also ruled The Three Rivers region," Anguy mumbled. "The trout are so incompetent, why not give The Three Rivers back?"
"Cruelty, Old Knight, your heart is good. But these are unusual times; it's an era of crumbling rites and cannibalism. If House Lannister wins, House Tully will not only lose the Lord Paramount of The Three Rivers but also Riverrun. I am still kind-hearted; I only want Harrenhal and The Three Rivers," Gendry said to Ser Barristan.
Ser Barristan said, "The late King, your father King Robert, once governed with leniency to win people's hearts."
"The King's governance was ruined by leniency. Governing a country should combine leniency and strictness. King Robert pardoned the Rose and allied with the lion. Do you see these people remembering his kindness? He died mysteriously, a laughingstock in history. But these things aren't solely King Robert's fault; his base was too small."
"Has House Tully been kings for generations? Does House Tully have the wealth and population to dominate The Three Rivers?" Gendry asked Barristan directly. House Tully lacks both talent and capital, and has no noble blood. If they become the losers of the war, they will likely suffer the most tragic fate.
"No, they haven't. Compared to House Tully, House Bracken, Blackwood Family, House Vance, and even the upstart Frey Family, all have larger territories and can raise more armies; House Mallister of Seaguard has nobler blood; House Mouton of Fountainhead is far wealthier than House Tully; and Harrenhal, despite being cursed and scarred by fire, is still more formidable than Riverrun, and ten times its size," Ser Barristan had to admit these facts. House Tully was not particularly prominent in the Riverlands.
"Then why are they the Lord Paramount of the Riverlands?" Anguy couldn't help but ask.
"The truth is that House Tully has always been adaptable to the times," Gendry said. "Ser Barristan should know." Riverrun is indeed very strategic, but House Tully's greater ability lies in choosing sides.
"The history of House Tully can be traced back to the first men era. The first Edmure Tully fought alongside Tristifer IV 'the hammer of justice' and won ninety-nine battles. After Tristifer's death, Edmure submitted to Armistead Vance, the most powerful andal conqueror at the time. When the Storm King ruled, House Tully was loyal. When the Ironborn came, the Tullys protected themselves. When the Dragon Kings came, House Tully led the great and small Lords to welcome them," Ser Barristan slowly recounted. "Most recently, in Robert's Rebellion, House Tully allied with House Stark and House Arryn through marriage, joining The late King's rebels."
"And because of this, I think there's a possibility of manipulating the Riverlands," Gendry said. Due to prolonged chaos and a lack of defensible positions, the Riverlands has a 'whoever feeds me is my mother' philosophy. They followed the Ironborn when they came, the Storm King when he came, and the Tullys are the best example of this.
House Tully prospered because they clung to the Dragon Kings' coattails, but Hoster Tully ultimately repaid the Targaryen family with betrayal. Hoster strongly supported Robert's Rebellion, and while House Tully shouldn't be solely blamed, Hoster's grasping nature was indeed unsightly.
Ser Barristan looked at Gendry and sighed. "Perhaps, perhaps you are right. I am a qualified knight, but not a qualified power player."
"Time passes too quickly, Ser Barristan," Gendry said. "So quickly that we cannot keep up with its changes."
"Indeed. Looking back, I have seen the Commoner King, Duncan the Short, Duncan the Tall, seen the Mad King and Tywin fall out, seen the false spring. It truly is too fast. But fortunately, I still have my loyalty and courage."
"There's one more thing you might not have considered, Ser," Gendry said to Barristan. "Long Winter is coming. The long summer will end sooner or later. If the Long Winter arrives, I cannot face it with a fragmented Westeros."
Many measures that seemed cruel in times of peace still have the potential for manipulation under the Long Night. Because a strong leader is needed to survive the Long Winter.
Barristan thought for a moment. "This is also where I once had doubts, but the King and those young people never considered this issue. Compared to the Long Winter, with its biting winds and falling snow, the power struggles of the human world seem less terrifying."
While the few of them were conversing, the elderly Maester Qyburn also brought the latest news. He was tall, slightly hunched, with many wrinkles around his prominent blue eyes. He was already old, but his grey hair outnumbered his white, and a smile always played on his lips, making him look like a grandfather admired by little girls.
"Prince Oberyn has hunted down the prey he wanted in the Riverlands, a big man," Qyburn said.
"The Mountain?" Ser Barristan easily deduced the answer.
"Yes..." Gendry nodded. "Tywin's most favored mad dog, and next is Amory Lorch."
Anguy suddenly interjected, "That crazy big man, he sends shivers down your spine."
"Yes," Gendry replied. "I'm killing him not only because he is Daenerys's enemy, my enemy, but also the enemy of many common people. Tywin, relying on his power, brought suffering to the people in King's Landing and the Riverlands. I will judge him."
"The truth is not pleasant. The late King was an excellent knight—chivalrous and brave—but he was indeed a failed King. He relied too much on Lannister gold and neglected the country," Barristan lamented. "Mad dogs are just let loose to bite, but when they become too deranged, they should be eliminated."
"The late King might have been an excellent warrior, but he did not love this kingdom. He was too good to the nobles and too bad to the common people. Tywin and Renly are not my true enemies. My true enemies are the Long Winter and the Long Night, and slave states like Volantis and Lys."
"I have seen too many failed kings—superstitious kings, Mad Kings, whoring kings—so I have always been searching for a true monarch. You have the potential of a true king, and I hope to be your loyal knight until the end of my life."
"I don't think you will be disappointed, Ser," Gendry said, looking at Ser Barristan, who was kneeling before him.
"I give this to you," Gendry drew his longsword and presented it to Barristan.
"From my King's hand, I have received a new longsword," Barristan knelt on one knee, laid the longsword at Gendry's feet, and then recited his oath.
"Rise, Old Knight," Gendry bade Barristan rise.
"You've come at a good time, Maester Qyburn, we were just discussing crossing the Narrow Sea by ship," Gendry said to Qyburn. "Crossing the Narrow Sea to take a piece of Tywin or the Kingslayer."
"Tywin has twenty thousand men, closer to us, but these twenty thousand are Westerlands elites. The Kingslayer has fifteen thousand men, but they are dispersed in three directions around Riverrun, more spread out and easier to attack, but too far from us," Ser Barristan said. "In short, it's a difficult choice. To completely wipe out Tywin's twenty thousand elites on the plains, we would need at least twice their strength, otherwise, it would be a hard-won victory."
"I think that's a good idea, but the Vale, the North, Dorne, the Crownlands, and the Stormlands are all coastal, so we need to find a good location," Qyburn said.
"But if we gather a large army, Tywin will surely be alerted. And if we go by sea, what will Stannis think?" Barristan said.
"If we go by sea, we might need to negotiate with Stannis first, otherwise, it would mean attacking the Royal Fleet," Qyburn also said.
"The Riverlands are a mess right now, with no troops available. We have the support of the crabfeeders men, but their numbers are too small. I hope Jon brings me good news from the Vale," Gendry said. He still wanted to mobilize the armies of the Vale and the Claw Peninsula.
Gendry heard that the Vale cavalry were also invincible, but the current leader of the Vale was a Madwoman. The Lords of the Vale were eager to move but could not break through The Bloody Gate. This was because the Vale and the North had many family ties, and Eddard was an adopted son of House Arryn of the Vale.
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