Ser Andar Royce's face was ashen.
He was Bronze Yohn's eldest son and the rightful heir to the Royce Family.
Over a dozen Knights of the Vale exchanged glances, their hands hovering hesitantly over their sword hilts.
They were the pride of the Vale, sworn fealty to the House Arryn, not a band of brigands kidnapping kin!
Andar Royce's brows were tightly furrowed.
He urged his horse forward a step, bowed to Lysa, his voice carrying the steady resolve of a noble descendant.
"My Lady, forgive my frankness."
"Lord Edmure is your brother, the Protector of Riverrun and the The Riverlands."
"We came here to forge an alliance, and you had agreed to that beforehand, not to stage a despicable ambush like this."
"The honor of the Royce Family does not permit me to draw my sword against an ally, much less against your own kin."
He mentioned the Royce Family, an ancient house that had stood for a thousand years in the Vale, proud of its bronze and runes.
His father, "Bronze Yohn," was the most respected lord in the entire Vale, and a staunch supporter of House Stark and the House Arryn.
Andar's words further swayed the surrounding knights.
They respected Bronze Yohn's renown and equally believed in a knight's honor.
"Honor?"
Lysa laughed hysterically.
Her laughter echoed across the desolate riverbank, startling a flock of water birds.
"Can honor bring back my Petyr?"
"Can honor make Jon Arryn crawl out of his grave?"
Her laughter abruptly ceased, her twisted face now contorted in savagery.
"Honor is a dirge sung for the dead!"
"Ser Andar, I command you once more, take him down!"
"Otherwise, you are rebelling against the House Arryn!"
"I serve the House Arryn, and the Vale."
Andar Royce stood his ground.
His hand rested on his sword hilt.
"Not your madness."
"My Lady, your current actions betray our alliance with the North and tarnish the House Arryn's Falcon and Moon banner!"
Edmure looked at Ser Andar, who stood before him, and a warmth surged through his heart.
He saw it, the integrity and responsibility of a true noble, which he had seen in his father and in his uncle, Brynden "The Blackfish"!
This gave him a sense of security.
No matter how mad Lysa was, she wouldn't ignore the counsel of her sworn vassals, would she?
After all, the Royce Family was the strongest and most important family in the Vale.
"Lysa! You're insane!"
Edmure finally found his voice amidst his shock.
"Stop this at once! It's not too late to turn back!"
"I swear, I won't tell anyone about this today. I beg you, please return to The Eyrie."
"Shut up!"
Lysa shrieked at him, like an enraged beast.
"You have no say here!"
She stared intently at Andar Royce, her eyes flashing with anger.
She knew this was her chance.
Today, she had to establish her authority here!
Andar Royce would be the example!
"Very well, Ser Andar."
Lysa's voice suddenly became unusually calm.
Beneath that calm lay a chilling killing intent.
"You chose your honor."
"Ser Vadis! Ser Lyndon!"
She turned to the other two knights.
They were old retainers of The Eyrie, equally loyal to the House Arryn.
"This traitor has openly defied the commands of the Lady of the Vale and even attempted to attack me!"
"In the name of the House Arryn, I command you to kill him at once!"
Ser Vadis and Ser Lyndon's faces changed.
They looked at Andar Royce, then at Lysa's undeniable face.
On one side was the future hope of the Vale, the heir of Bronze Yohn.
On the other, their sworn liege, the Lady of the House Arryn.
This was an order they could not refuse.
"What?"
"Do you also wish to die with him for that ridiculous honor?"
These words were like a bucket of ice water.
They extinguished the last flicker of hesitation in their hearts.
They were knights, but they also had families and lands.
"Please... forgive me, Ser Andar."
Ser Vadis uttered a few difficult words, then slowly drew his longsword.
Ser Lyndon also silently drew his sword from its sheath.
Seeing this, the remaining knights retreated, leaving the open space on the riverbank to the three of them.
An unavoidable tragedy was about to unfold.
"Come."
Andar Royce showed no fear on his face.
He spurred his warhorse, his steel sword cutting a sharp, cold gleam through the air, actively charging towards his former comrades.
"Clang!"
Three longswords clashed repeatedly in the air, sending out dazzling sparks.
Andar Royce was indeed the son of Bronze Yohn; his swordsmanship was broad and powerful, full of strength.
Even fighting two against one, he showed no signs of being at a disadvantage.
Ser Vadis's swordplay was steady, but his strength was clearly inferior to Andar's.
Each clash of weapons left his hand numb.
Ser Lyndon, on the other hand, was more agile, constantly circling Andar's flank, looking for an opportunity for a fatal strike.
Edmure watched, terrified.
He wanted to help, but he was unarmed.
He wanted to cry for help, but the nearest castle was miles away.
He could only watch.
Watching this fratricide caused by his sister's madness.
On the riverbank, sword light flashed, and hooves thundered.
Andar Royce fought with increasing ferocity; he seized a momentary gap in Vadis's breathing and brought his sword down with a mighty chop!
Vadis hastily blocked, but the immense force sent him and his horse staggering back several steps.
Now!
Andar's eyes flashed with brilliance, ready to press his advantage and completely eliminate one opponent.
Just then.
"Whoosh—"
A sharp whooshing sound suddenly cut through the air.
The sound was faint, almost drowned out by the clang of weapons.
But Andar Royce still heard it.
A strong sense of alarm rose within him, and he instinctively tried to dodge sideways.
But in front of him was Ser Lyndon's thrusting longsword.
He couldn't dodge it.
"Thud!"
A black fletching emerged from the side of his neck.
It was a crossbow bolt.
Andar Royce's body movements suddenly froze at that moment.
His steel sword clattered to the ground.
He slowly lowered his head, his eyes filled with disbelief.
An ambush... He slowly turned his head, his gaze sweeping past the astonished Vadis and Lyndon, fixing on the woman standing by the river.
Lysa Arryn.
A victor's smile was already on her face.
Andar's lips moved, as if he wanted to say something.
But in the end, the light in his eyes quickly faded.
His tall body swayed, then crashed heavily from his horse, landing on the pebble-strewn riverbank.
Blood spread out from beneath him, staining the colorful stones red.
On the riverbank, there was silence.
Ser Vadis and Ser Lyndon looked at Andar lying in a pool of blood, then looked towards the direction of the forest, their faces filled with fear and horror.
They knew that if they hadn't acted just now, they wouldn't have been able to escape the crossbowmen Lysa had arranged, and they would have met the same fate as Andar.
Lysa slowly walked to Andar's corpse.
She nudged the still-warm body with the tip of her shoe, as if kicking a dead dog.
"Honor?"
She spat out the two words contemptuously.
She had no honor, but she was alive.
Andar had honor, but he was dead.
This was the best interpretation of honor!
Then, she turned around, her gaze sweeping over every knight present.
That gaze scraped across each person's face.
"Now, who else wants to talk to me about honor?"
No one answered.
All the knights lowered their heads, not daring to meet her gaze.
Their meager pride and conviction shattered before Andar Royce's corpse.
Fear replaced honor.
Now, they were just a group of tamed beasts.
And Lysa was the master, holding the whip and the butcher's knife.
"Very good."
"Andar Royce attempted to attack me and is suspected of treason."
"Send men back to The Eyrie immediately to secure all members of the Royce Family in the Vale without alarming them, and await my return to decide their fate!"
Lysa nodded with satisfaction.
Finally, she could legitimately deal with the Royce Family, who always opposed her.
She would use Royce blood to firmly establish her supreme position in the Vale!
As for other families uniting to resist?
She was practically hoping those people would rebel!
Finally, Lysa's gaze fell upon Edmure, who had long since turned pale and was trembling all over.
"Take him."
She issued the command again.
This time, no one hesitated for a moment.
Ser Vadis and Ser Lyndon dismounted, taking Edmure's arms, one on each side.
The cold steel armor bit painfully into Edmure's skin.
Edmure did not resist.
Only one thought remained in his mind.
Father... you were right.
She is not my sister.
She is a monster.
A complete and utter monster who has long gone mad!
Lysa's haggard face regained its vibrancy.
She reined in her horse, glanced at the towering keeps of Riverrun, her eyes gleaming with greed and ambition.
"Edmure, if you fully support me, for the sake of our past relationship, I will not kill you."
"But if you persist in your delusion, then don't blame me for being ruthless!"
"Now, tell me, your choice!"
"Will you obediently follow my arrangements, or will you die now!"
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