Game of Dragonborn.

Chapter 140 - The Hour of the Dragon.

[Chapter Size: 2400 Words.]

Third Person POV.
North.

...

...

Attacking Hornwood wasn't difficult. Moving with only ten thousand men was much easier than fifty thousand.

Jon went straight for the castle, ignoring the smaller strongholds, since they posed no threat and offered no resistance. After all, there weren't even two thousand men in the entire territory to raise arms.

The farms and villages had been devastated by the ironborn invasion, which had reached that part of the North.

When the castle came into view, Jon could already see that they were raising the white flag. He sent his men directly to enter it, already preparing a camp at its entrance.

His first order upon seeing the castellan, the maester, and the master-at-arms waiting for him in the courtyard was simple.

"Arrest them all. I want everyone restrained."

That caught them by surprise — guards and servants alike. No one would be spared. And since there was no room for everyone in the dungeons, Jon ordered his men to tie them all up and leave them kneeling in the courtyard.

"Why are you doing this, my lord? You can't just treat us like this! We have rights when we surrender!" the master-at-arms shouted.

Jon simply looked at them.
"Well... it's a shame you ignored that when you left your lady to starve. We're here to bring justice. Everyone who had a hand in this will be executed."

Jon spoke calmly, but his amplified voice made it very clear to everyone present, and he could see the fear in their eyes and faces going pale. That said a lot about the castellan and the master-at-arms, who were clearly in command of the castle — and there would be no escape for them.

"Where is the tower where she was kept?" Jon asked, looking at the kneeling, tied-up servants, their numbers growing by the minute as his men brought more out into the courtyard.

"It's on the east side, my lord," a young boy murmured.

"Then do me a favor," Jon said to the boy.
"Take some of my men there. If your lady's body is still there, bring it here."

Jon gave a signal, and a dozen armored free folk were sent while the boy disappeared with them into the castle.

Ten minutes later, as Jon organized the containment of the guards and servants and the free folk continued dragging out hidden soldiers and servants from inside the castle, they brought out a body.

Jon grimaced when they showed him the corpse, already in a state of decomposition.

She was laid before Jon. The crowd watched. The servants were terrified. Jon knelt down, ignoring the stench, and examined her face.

"She killed herself," Jon commented, seeing the wound on her forehead.
"She must not have lasted long. This indicates she ran into the stone wall to bash her head. That killed her... an act of self-mercy."

Jon stood up again, his tone dry.

"Attention, I want you to occupy the walls and stay alert for any Ironborn walking through the territory and approaching the castle. We'll be here for more than a day, but it's something we need to resolve," Jon decided, nodding inward and issuing a few orders.
"Bring my Maester with me."

The men began dragging the Maester inside, while Jon entered a large hall where there was a chair, like those in castles for audiences, and sat in it, watching the Maester being thrown near him before collapsing in front of him.