Game of Thrones: Lord of the Flames

Before Ucha had finished wrestling with his thoughts, the forested path had come to an end. Even though it had been over ten days since the battle, the lingering scent of blood hadn't completely faded.

Standing on the ground stained deep red, Ucha couldn't help but recall that unforgettable night. It made him instinctively hunch down, and he even softened his breathing.

The entrance to the valley had completely transformed. Now, there were two towering iron oak fences, and a lookout tower had been erected on a mound of earth.

With these defensive measures, Eagle's Point would be even harder to breach.

After verifying their identities, the guards let Ucha and the others into the valley. Once inside, Ucha's uncle and his companions went off to haul logs, leaving Ucha and his sister standing there, a bit unsure of what to do next.

Suddenly, the sound of a resounding chant drew their attention.

"Look, over there! The Riverland soldiers are training!" Ucha's sister, Una, exclaimed excitedly before sprinting toward them.

Ucha had no choice but to follow. They reached the edge of the sandy shore, where a group of about a hundred soldiers was running in formation.

"One, two, one-two!"

Though it was just a simple run, their synchronized steps, spirited chants, and disciplined formations radiated an intimidating aura.

Recalling how countless wildling warriors had been mercilessly cut down by this relatively small Riverlands force, Ucha felt a surge of awe and dread.

But alongside that awe, a strange thought crept into his mind: How great it would be if I could join them someday...

On the edge of the training area, several wildling women had gathered. Some had already succeeded in finding husbands and were proudly pointing them out to others, drawing envious looks and words of admiration; others who hadn't yet found partners were eagerly observing, hoping to seize an opportunity.

Una joined them, mingling to gather information.

Soon, she had locked her sights on a target—the shorter young man at the front of the formation, barking out orders.

According to what she'd heard, this young man's name was Gavin. Although not particularly striking, he was the steward to the lord himself.

As a man of status, he naturally had high standards, and many wildling women who'd attempted to woo him had walked away disappointed.

Confident in her looks, Una decided to try her luck. As soon as the training ended, she dashed forward straight to Gavin.

Watching from a distance, Ucha scratched his head, unsure of what else to do but silently wish his sister good luck.

Ucha wandered over to a small market in the northwest corner of the valley. There, he traded the dried meat he'd brought for oats, bread, and a small stash of sweet biscuits.

Then, not knowing what to do next, he just roamed around aimlessly.

He thought about returning to the Tiger Fang Village, but didn't want to leave his sister.

On the other hand, the idea of joining the work camp didn't sit well with him either.

As he wandered, he overheard someone say, "They say this long summer is ending soon, and winter will bring a never-ending night of cold and darkness. The demons that have slumbered for millennia will rise in the shadows and bring destruction upon the world!"

"Your'e not spouting lies are you? What can we even do about it?" someone asked, voice filled with fear.

"Don't be afraid! The gods have already chosen a hero who will rise from a land of smoke and salt, wielding a blazing sword, to lead mankind to victory over evil and usher in an endless summer."

Hearing this, Ucha couldn't help but speak up: "You've got it wrong."

The speaker glared at him but restrained himself. "Oh? Wrong what?"

"I heard from Shaman Salu that the hero will be born amidst ice and fire," Ucha said with conviction.

"Ice and fire? Boy, tell me—how is someone born amidst ice and fire?"

"Well, that means snow and fire," Ucha replied earnestly. "And Shaman Saru said that our lord, Lord Caesar, was born in a fierce winter, when snow fell heavily and a fire broke out in his castle. So he is the hero foretold to be born amidst ice and fire!"

The man's expression softened, and he said, "Perhaps your seer's 'ice and fire' is the same as my 'smoke and salt.'"

"The same?"

"Yes. Think about it, boy. Smoke naturally comes with fire, and snow—well, snow is like the gods' salt."

Ucha scratched his head thoughtfully. "So you also believe Lord Caesar is the hero of the prophecy?"

"Of course!"

With that, the tension in the air dissolved, and Ucha enthusiastically engaged the man in a discussion about the prophecy.

The wildlings listening had varied reactions—some appeared reverent, while others subtly rolled their eyes. But nobody openly disputed it; after all, they were all now Lord Caesar's subjects.

Besides, after the recent crushing victory, Lord Caesar's prestige had been firmly imprinted in their minds.

They might not yet believe that he was the hero of prophecy, but a seed of curiosity was planted in their hearts.

Perhaps one day, as Caesar's legend continued to grow, that seed would blossom, cementing itself as an unshakable belief.

Ucha, on the other hand, was becoming more and more convinced in Seer Saru's prophecy. Just then, Una found him, and reluctantly, he ended his discussion.

"How did it go?" he asked.

"Pretty well!" Una's face was flushed with excitement. "He accepted the tiger-skin gloves I made him."

"That's fantastic! Looks like I'll be attending your wedding soon."

Giggling at her brother's congratulations, Una suddenly remembered something. "So, have you decided yet? Will you stay at Eagle's Point?"

"I…" Ucha hesitated, "I'll think about it a little more."

Una laughed. "I figured you wouldn't be too eager to join the work camp. But what about joining the lord's personal guard? Would you want to?"

"What? Lord Caesar's guard is recruiting?"

"Yep. Gavin told me himself. They're looking to add a hundred new soldiers to the guard. The notice goes up tomorrow, so make sure you're ready to sign up!"

"Alright!" Ucha nodded, then started to worry. "But if they're only choosing a hundred, I might not get in."

He was sure the notice would attract a flood of wildling warriors eager to enlist.

"You'll make it!" Una's eyes sparkled with mischief. "And if it's tough, I could always ask Gavin for a little help."

"Yes, yes!" At that moment, Ucha wished his sister could marry Gavin right away.

After a while of scratching his head and thinking, he lowered his voice and said, "Sis, maybe you could go see Gavin tonight..."

Una glared at her brother, but then she tilted her head, actually seeming to consider it seriously.

...

Meanwhile, Gavin was blissfully unaware of the wildling girl's plans. He found Samwell and complained, "My lord, you need to rein in these wildlings! I did a headcount this morning and found that the work camp now has almost two hundred more people than before! This is getting out of hand!"

Samwell laughed and said, "Isn't it good to have more people? This way, we'll build up the settlement faster."

"But we're also using up resources faster! Our food reserves can only last another two weeks at most!"

"So soon?" Samwell's face grew serious. After a moment of thought, he said, "Understood. I'll handle it."

Gavin felt somewhat relieved.

In his eyes, though the lord spent money like water, he had a remarkable talent for earning it back.

Even if he didn't know exactly how he did it.

(End of Chapter)