Chapter 272 Peace of mind
The castle hall fell into deathly silence.
The rebels and ironborn at the door stopped.
But not everyone was stunned. Countess Egwen Oakheart didn't care about a sharp machete pressed against her throat, and still shouted loudly:
"Quick! Kill him! Togan, leave me alone, kill..."
With a click, Samwell removed Mrs. Egwene's chin, so that her subsequent words could only be swirled in her throat, making a ho-ho sound.
"Stop! You're not an inflatable fish! Who the **** are you?" roared Sir Togan Oakheart.
"Are you the Faceless One of the House of Black and White?" Lord Fossoway asked.
In the hearts of Westeros, it seems that only the faceless have the ability to change their faces at will.
"It doesn't matter who I am, the important thing is that I also have a hostage in my hands now." Samwell did not reveal his identity, otherwise the rebels would know and would kill him desperately.
Sir Togan's eyes twitched a few times: "Then what do you want?"
"Let's talk about terms." Samwell said lightly, "The River Bend army is coming soon, you have to hurry up."
"We have hostages in our hands, and they dare not attack the city."
"Not necessarily." Samwell said quietly, "The army from the north is commanded by Landau Tarly, and the army from the south is commanded by Baelor Hightower, and most of the troops under him are horsemen, don't you Still can't see Madam Olenna's determination? They won't compromise with you."
Sir Togan was really not confident anymore.
Samwell continued: "Aiwen is a crazy woman. Of course, if her son dies, she can ignore everything and focus on revenge. What about you? Are you willing to follow her all the way to the dark? Are you really going to make trouble until the Oakheart family dies?" Absolutely?"
Sir Togan gritted his teeth and said after a moment of silence:
"You don't even dare to reveal your identity, what qualifications do you have to negotiate terms with us?"
"Then get the real inflatable fish and let him talk to you."
"Okay." Sir Togan finally nodded in agreement.
Apparently, the Oakhearts aren't all lunatics.
Samwell thought for a while, and added: "By the way, bring Vilas Tyrell too. He is the heir of Highgarden, and his words carry weight."
Actually, Samwell was worried that the inflatable fish would not be able to negotiate any good terms.
Sir Togan did not refuse, and motioned for his men to lead the people.
Soon, Duke of Metz and Vilas were brought into the hall.
Sir Toggan was very cautious and placed them surrounded by knights of the Oakheart family.
When Duke Metz saw his other self in the hall, his eyes widened immediately, and he shouted in disbelief:
"You...you...who are you?"
"I'm the one who came to save you." Samwell patted Madam Egwene's back with the back of the knife, and said, "Now, the Oakheart family agrees to peace talks. Lord Mace, please negotiate terms with them."
"Peace talks?" Duke Metz was still a little confused.
Samwell was speechless to the prospective father-in-law, so he looked at Vilas in the wheelchair.
The eldest son of the Duke of Metz still looks calm, as if he is not imprisoned but entertaining guests at home.
His performance is much better than that of an inflatable fish.
Vilas first bowed slightly to Samwell and said:
"Brave unknown knight, you took such a big risk to go deep into the enemy army to rescue us. On behalf of the Tyrell family, I would like to express my sincerest thanks to you!"
This is a sensible person. Samwell sighed in his heart, then smiled and nodded in return, reminding:
"Sir Vilas, you can negotiate terms with the rebels. Oh yes, King Balon has just said that he will withdraw his troops."
Vilas looked at Baron and asked:
"Your Excellency Baron, are you really willing to withdraw your troops?"
"Yes..." King Balon finally came to his senses, clutching his stomach with pain on his face, and his tone was extremely weak, but he still looked at Samwell with ferocious eyes.
"Okay. Then you order to withdraw the troops." Vilas nodded, "We will let you go when the ironborn have withdrawn from Highgarden."
"No!" Victarion Greyjoy yelled, "You let my brother go first!"
Veras shook his head firmly: "You withdraw first. I swear on the honor of the Tyrell family, as long as you withdraw from High Court, we will release Lord Baron."
Samwell spoke at the right time and reminded:
"After dawn, the Riverbend army will arrive at Highgarden. If you procrastinate any longer, you will never leave."
Victarion wanted to say something else, but King Balon waved his hand at his brother and said:
"You go first!"
Victarion pointed his long-handled battle ax at Vilas, and said loudly:
"I swear in the name of the Drowned God! If the Tyrell family does not keep their promise, I will come to bloodbath Highgarden again! No matter what the price is!"
After finishing speaking, he turned and left.
But at this moment, Duke Metz suddenly said:
"Let them leave what they robbed!"
Victarion stopped in his tracks, turned his head and stared fiercely at the inflatable fish, and said:
"No one can make the ironborn surrender what they have taken! Neither can I!"
These words may not be all threats. Even if King Balon orders the Ironborn to give up the stolen jewels, I am afraid that the Ironborn will cause trouble.
Vilas obviously didn't want to add more twists and turns, so he said quickly:
"You can take away the looted property, but you cannot take away the people of High Court."
"good."
Seeing that the ironmen were settled, Vilas turned to look at the Oakheart family and asked:
"What conditions does your Oakheart family have?"
Sir Togan said:
"You hand over Fallen Wood City in the Stormlands to the Oakheart family, and you must also promise that you will not be held accountable for this rebellion."
Vilas thought for a moment, nodded and said:
"Can."
The corners of Samwell's mouth moved, but he didn't speak.
Of course he didn't want to give the Castle of the Stormlands to the Oakheart family, but let's talk about coaxing the other party out of High Court now.
The Oakheart family dared to come to the Stormlands, and Samwell would be able to deal with them conveniently in the future.
The Tyrell family promised not to pursue responsibility for the rebellion, but Caesar did not promise not to pursue it.
Sir Togan was very satisfied with this, but he still asked:
"How do you guarantee that the Tyrell family will not be held accountable for this rebellion?"
"The credibility of the House of Highgarden Tyrell."
"No!" Another Oakheart family knight said, "We need a stronger guarantee."
Vilas asked patiently: "For example?"
Sir Togan said: "I have a daughter, why don't you marry her?"
Villas smiled and said: "Sir Togan, if I remember correctly, your daughter seems to be only six or seven years old?"
"She is six years old," Ser Toggan said, "but she will grow up."
"Okay." Vilas said, "Since you don't dislike me as a cripple, then I will be engaged to your daughter. We will get married when she has menarche."
Sir Togan shook his head and said, "Being engaged is not enough."
Vilas was a little helpless: "You can't let me marry a six-year-old child?"
"I mean, during the engagement period, you must go to the ancient oak city." Sir Togan said, "Cultivate and cultivate feelings with my daughter."
"No!" The Duke of Mace immediately refused.
No matter how stupid he is, he knows that this is not cultivating feelings, it is clearly asking his son to be a hostage.
Samwell laughed and said: "Villas is so old, how long do you keep him waiting? It's better to marry your daughter with a younger one. I remember Lord Mace has a seven-year-old nephew..."
"It must be Vilas!" Ser Toggan emphasized. "Only when the heir of Highgarden comes to House Oakheart can we trust Tyrell's promise."
The Duke of Metz made a bitter face and moved his mouth, but he didn't dare to say anything after all.
At this time, I heard Vilas say:
"Father, Gaoting has raised me for twenty-six years, and it's time for me to repay."
Duke of Metz certainly heard the meaning of his son's words, and immediately shed tears.
And Vilas has turned to the Oakheart family and said:
"I am willing to go to the ancient oak city."
Sir Togan was obviously relieved, but he still looked at Duke of Metz and confirmed again:
"Master Mace, do you agree with this peace talks plan? As long as you nod, the Oakheart family will withdraw from High Court."
At this time, Earl Fossoway in the wine hall suddenly said:
"Wait a minute, our Fossoway family also has conditions."
Villas muffled: "My younger brother Garland has already married your daughter, what else do you want?"
Earl Fossoway chuckled: "In this case, the Fossoway family also wants a castle in Stormlands, Hay Hall."
"The Hightower family has already taken a fancy to Hay Hall." Samwell said, "Why don't you change it to Rain House City."
"Yes." Earl Fossoway nodded in satisfaction.
Samwell sneered in his heart, Rain House City hadn't been captured yet, and Earl Fossoway obviously didn't know the news, since the other party wanted it, then lead the army to fight by himself.
Just don't get caught in an ambush halfway.
Sir Togan saw that the Fossoway family had also reached an agreement, so he urged the Duke of Metz again.
After all, these agreements can only take effect if the master of High Court nods.
The Duke of Metz cried and cried for a while, but finally nodded in agreement.
Samwell watched quietly from the side without speaking.
Although these conditions are too much, one hostage is better than a bunch of hostages.
Solve the crisis in front of you first, and then find a way to get Vilas back later.
There is also Fallen Wood City, which he will take back sooner or later.
House Tyrell promised not to hold the rebellion accountable, but he didn't.
Seeing Duke Mace nodding, Sir Togan withdrew his long sword.
The tense atmosphere in the hall suddenly disappeared, and almost everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
With the possible exception of Lady Egwene Oakheart, the madwoman only wanted to avenge her sons.
Of course, no one cares what she thinks now.
"Very good! Congratulations to both parties for peacefully resolving this crisis." Samwell applauded with a smile, but then he changed the topic, "Next, it's time for me to raise conditions."
Everyone was stunned.
(end of this chapter)