King's Landing.
Council Hall.
Inside the austerely decorated council hall, the royal advisers sat around the long table in tense silence. Grand Maester Orwyle had just received a series of raven letters from the Stormlands, each bearing worse news than the last. Confirmed by Master of Whisperers Tormund, the situation was dire.
The atmosphere was heavy, and Viserys, seated at the head of the table, looked visibly uncomfortable. The Stormlands, previously thought to be secure, were now delivering the worst possible news.
Viserys glanced sideways at Sea Snake Corlys, seated across from him, whose expression was dark and foreboding. Corlys sat with his arms crossed, his gaze intense and unyielding, exuding the regal aura of his Nine Voyages.
Knowing he couldn't remain silent any longer, Viserys coughed lightly and addressed the council, "My lords, let's discuss the situation in the Stormlands."
His knuckles tapped on the table, pulling the advisers from their thoughts. Looking at Corlys, Viserys lowered his voice, "Lord Corlys, I don't want to intrude on your grief, but I hope the Seven Gods will bless Ser Laenor."
According to the reports, Laenor had disappeared under mysterious circumstances, with no sign of his body. His dragon, Sea Smoke, had gone berserk, attacking the residents of the Stormlands indiscriminately and causing numerous casualties in Mistwood. It was obvious that Laenor had been murdered.
Corlys raised his head stiffly, his eyes burning with suppressed anger. "Thank you, Your Grace. I believe my child will survive, just as I did in my youth."
Over fifty years old, Corlys' life experience was extensive enough to fill a book. Despite knowing his child's dire fate, he maintained a composed demeanor.
"My heartfelt blessings," Viserys said, trying to comfort him. He then turned to the advisers, "With the Dornish occupying Stonehelm and Ser Laenor missing, only Crow's Nest and the Rain House remain on the Third Front. Do we need to send additional reinforcements?"
Mistwood had managed to block the Dornish attack but couldn't withstand an out-of-control dragon.
Otto was the first to respond, "Your Grace, the King's reinforcements departed recently. It's not advisable to draw more troops for now."
Lyonel quickly followed, "The Narrow Sea War has passed, and many armies have been mobilized. Calling up more troops might cause opposition from the local lords."
The Vale had heavily contributed to the attack on Myr. The Riverlands, Westerlands, and North had also added several armies to overrun Lys.
Lyman, with urgency in his voice, said, "The Triarchy has invested too many troops, and with the Dorn Rebellion close behind, we are in a critical situation."
"Lord Lyman, we have defeated the Triarchy. The situation is not as dire as you suggest," Jasper countered. "The Reach, Westerlands, and Vale should still be able to draw more troops."
Westeros was vast, and more troops could be gathered with some effort.
Otto, after a moment of silence, refuted his ally dismissively, "The Westerlands are garrisoned to defend against the Ironborn, and the Reach guards the Prince's Pass. These are critical positions."
Since the Second Battle of the Stepstones Islands, the Ironborn had been restless, harassing Lannisport and the Riverlands' sea border cities. For Dornish invasions, the Prince's Pass and the Boneway were always the first choice, requiring substantial defenses.
A militaristic strategy could only be employed when absolutely necessary.
Jasper, rebuffed, fell silent in resentment.
"What exactly should we do?" Viserys asked, his gaze darting around the room, seeking a satisfactory answer.
Lyonel and Otto exchanged a knowing look. Both were intelligent men who quickly read each other's thoughts.
With a stern face, Lyonel said in a decisive tone, "Your Grace, with the reinforcements from the Crownlands, the Stormlands have enough troops to deal with the Dornish invaders. It's best for us to respond to any change with no change."
"Exactly," Otto interjected, adding, "The Stormlands may have lost a controllable dragon, but they still have another capable of handling the situation."
The two men spoke in turn, deftly sidestepping various issues such as the interruption of the war's rhythm, Aemond's insubordination, Laenor's harboring of his former lover and the disappearance of his current lover with him.
Without a qualified commander, the leadership of the Stormlands Coalition Army was riddled with errors and omissions.
Viserys listened, slightly reassured, but then brought up a concern, "Sea Smoke is out of control, causing many casualties. He may be looking for his rider."
His voice carried a note of disappointment. A dragon going berserk would not only affect the battle but also tarnish the Targaryen's reputation.
The most crucial point for Viserys was the fear that someone might hate dragons enough to kill the defenseless Sea Smoke.
Every dragon was a precious, irreplaceable asset.
The council began to lean toward a calm approach, advising the king to rest easy and leave the Stormlands to their own devices.
Not everyone was happy with this approach, however.
Bang!
Corlys, already dark-faced, could no longer suppress his anger. He slammed his hands together and angrily rebuked, "We can't just stand by! The Stormlands lack a competentcommander, and delaying action will only worsen the situation!"
As a seasoned warrior who had truly experienced the battlefield, Corlys had already analyzed the mediocrity and incompetence of Royce Caron, and the capriciousness of Aemond from the few words in the letter.
These problems might not seem serious in everyday life, but they were fatal on the battlefield.
A commander who couldn't effectively lead his men was worse than useless.
A dragon rider who disobeyed orders was a hindrance.
Viserys was taken aback, staring at Corlys in bewilderment. The confidence instilled by his advisers began to waver.
Corlys quickly stepped out of his seat, producing a map from his sleeve, and spoke sharply, "Dorne dared to challenge the authority of the Iron Throne, thanks to the support from Braavos and the remnants of the Triarchy's Kingdom. Controlling the sea is the key!"
"The navies of the three city-states are alldeployed, always on guard against foreignenemies," Viserys said in a deep voice.
He knew the Triarchy's movements all too well. The city-states harbored rebels with ill intentions, and the two allies, Pentos and Volantis, were also ambitious. He had to watch out not only for the clearly hostile Braavos, but also for the seemingly harmless allies. It was human nature.
Joining the war together wasn't feasible. With the Targaryens occupying three city-states, Pentos and Volantis were only willing to accept a few port taxes. They were deterred only by the dragons and the assertiveness of the eldest Targaryen son.
Viserys suspected that the shadows of Prince Pentos and Magister Volantis were among the supporters transporting supplies to Dorne. The power of ancient Valyria had cast a deep shadow over Essos. Likewise, a powerful Targaryen-ruled Westeros posed a threat to the balance of power.
Corlys glanced at him, pointed his finger at the Stepstones Islands on the map, and replied with a didactic tone, "Rhaenys and the others are holding down the Free Cities, and Prince Aegon can easily mobilize a two-thousand-man navy."
Of all the advisors in the room, he was the only one who knew the ways of war. Even as he received the news of Laenor's assassination, he had been strategizing.
Viserys, upon hearing this, gazed at the map and fell into silence. He knew little of war but understood the importance of Aegon's defense of the Stepstones Islands. This maintained the transit of the lower half of the Narrow Sea and prevented other free cities from plunging into the disputed lands from the sea.
Corlys tapped his hand on the table and urged, "Your Grace, what are you hesitating for? The Dornish are coming on strong; this isn't the small matter it was a few days ago."
Before Viserys could respond, Otto frowned and spoke out in warning, "Lord Corlys, I deeplysympathize with your loss, but I must ask you to maintain basic respect for the king. You are only a advisor."
Otto, despite his selfishness, knew the importance of upholding the king's authority at critical moments. Whether it was Daemon or the Velaryon House, those who did not abide by the rules of right were considered enemies by him.
Corlys glared angrily, his face grim as he turned on Otto. He held nothing but contempt and disgust for this selfish and discreet second son of Hightower.
Seeing that the two were at odds, Viserys looked back and forth, habitually trying to make peace. "Otto, Lord Corlys was momentarily agitated and is acting in the service of the realm."
"I'm merely reminding him of the etiquette between a ruler and a subject," Otto replied coolly.
"Hmph!"
Corlys snorted disdainfully, then directed his spear-like glare at Viserys and said bluntly, "Your Grace, I seriously doubt Lord Royce's ability to command. I request permission to lead the troops into battle!"
As soon as the words fell, the conference hall fell silent. The Royal advisers stared at him, their thoughts hidden behind their eyes.
Corlys didn't give them a chance to question him and laid out his strategy. "Dorne invades the Stormlands; the only landing point is Stonehelm. Given Dorne's national conditions, 20,000 regular troops almost draws the entire realm's strength, leaving their defenses lax."
Viserys' spirit lifted, his interest piqued.
Corlys glanced at Otto with contempt, his finger tracing from Stonehelm on the map to Sunspear. His voice dripped with determination, "Prince Aegon leads the Navy of the Stepstones Islands to move out, under my full command, to directly destroy Martell's stronghold!"
With the pain of his son's death fueling his anger, Corlys' hatred reached its peak. The tight, step-by-step strategy seemed too cumbersome. Controlling the sea and stopping secret support to Dorne seemed even harder.
So, he chose the highest-risk, greatest-reward strategy: Rush straight to Sunspear anddecapitate the Martell leadership.
Viserys listened attentively, slightly excited. "A brilliant plan, but it contains great danger."
Taking out the Martells might allow Dorne to be incorporated into the realm.
Corlys' eyes were as sharp as a hawk's. "Dorne is not rich; we could draw Prince Aemond's dragons. Two dragons will surely be able to break through Sunspear."
Even the strongest castle was no match for dragons. Sunspear, with its mud and stone walls and open terrain, was vulnerable to a dragon attack.
Lyonel and Otto, though lamenting the madness of the plan, joined the discussion. After some debate, Viserys suddenly asked, "Shall we recall Rhaegar?"
Corlys' face softened slightly, and he replied, "The prince is still in Myr; he should rush back when he hears about this."
Viserys nodded, growing more satisfied. With his eldest son by his side, he had a backbone for foreign wars.
Just as the King and advisers were fervently discussing, Tormund, who had been silent, stood up and said in a low voice, "Your Grace, I have information you should be aware of."
Viserys froze and turned to look at him. The other royal advisers similarly directed their gazes towards him.
Feeling the pressure, Tormund pulled out a letter from his sleeve and handed it over, saying heavily, "Dorne has experienced a decrease in food production since the beginning of the year.
A large number of stragglers have converged on the Vulture Mountains. Tens of thousands of people, both young and old, are showing signs of invading the Prince's Pass and the Boneway."
(Word count: 1,894)