Chapter 628: Chapter 628: Resolve
"If there's any truth to Lord Stark's words," the old Commander Mormont started, his face taking on a grave aspect.
"Then the Night King has indeed resurrected the ancient Kings of the North, including the recent members of the Stark family, to fight under his command."
Speaking thus, the mention of the Night King resurrecting the dead sent a shiver down Mormont's spine, a memory of the dread when the wights first came back to life.
Now, if these ancient kings still possessed the wisdom of their living days, each one of them was a brilliant leader in their own right. The Night's Watch would find it hard to gain any advantage against such formidable foes.
"It seems the rumor about King Robert being wounded on the battlefield by Lyanna Stark wasn't just wind."
With a sigh, Mormont continued, "We must be vigilant. Although the White Walkers have not engaged us and chose to retreat, we must remain on guard for a sudden counterattack."
"In dire times, I shall beseech His Majesty for aid, requesting the dispatch of Dragon Riders."
"Yes!" The officers in the command tent, including Eddard Stark, echoed in unison, their faces stern.
Meanwhile, in the distant Red Keep, after half a month of deliberation, Viserys and the royal council unanimously approved the decision to send troops to Naath.
The Iron Throne decided to dispatch a fleet of two thousand men, composed of several large main ships and dozens of escort vessels, with the former captain of the Black Wind, Asha Greyjoy, serving as the commander of the forces and emissary of the Iron Throne.
The fleet would set sail from King's Landing, first docking at Pentos for supplies, and then traveling along the western coast of Essos, visiting the surrounding Free Cities along the way.
Their first stop would be the ruins of Myr, which had been ravaged by the Dothraki, and the emerging powers in the region.
Myr had faced a catastrophic assault from several Khalasars after they were repelled in Pentos. The Dothraki had vented their rage upon the people of Myr, ransacking the city for days, leaving it in ruins.
Nevertheless, with its ancient trade roots, Myr rose from the ashes. Many Myrish who were abroad returned to their homeland, establishing a new city upon the ruins, aspiring to become the new masters of this land.
The Iron Throne's first stop was to visit Myr, followed by a visit to the disputed lands of Tyrosh and Lys.
Once a prosperous land under the Freehold of Valyria, the disputed lands fell into chaos after the fall of the great empire.
It was briefly controlled by Volantis before being overthrown. With the support of the Braavosi and the Durandon and Targaryen families, Pentos and Tyrosh scorched the land into a barren wasteland.
Subsequently, Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys established the short-lived Kingdom of the Three Daughters to combat the continuous invasions by Volantis. However, after Volantis lost interest in the disputed lands, the kingdom quickly collapsed into civil strife.
Triangles represent stability.
Perhaps once Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys were a stable triad, but now, after Myr was scorched by the Dothraki, the tension between Tyrosh and Lys over the disputed lands escalated from a simmer to a boiling point.
Both cities desired control over this territory and had even sent envoys to win the support of Pentos, the stronghold of the ancient Targaryen family.
Due to geopolitical reasons, the only powers that could influence the politics of the disputed lands were the newly risen empire across the Narrow Sea and Volantis.
Aside from the fact that Viserys had not yet proclaimed himself emperor, the world already recognized the combined territories of Westeros, Andalos, and Pentos as an empire, considered to be the most formidable force under the heavens.
Thus, this voyage was of utmost importance, concerning the stability of the disputed lands and the diplomatic relations between the trade cities and the Targaryen family.
Whether Asha Greyjoy could perform well, Viserys wasn't sure. He had considered having Littlefinger accompany her, but after much thought, he dropped the idea.
Petyr Baelish and Asha Greyjoy, simply put, were oil and water. Asha was fierce and uncompromising, while Littlefinger was full of schemes.
Placing them together would either result in Asha cutting down the Governor of the Vale or Littlefinger plotting her demise in foreign lands.
Moreover, the main task of the Governor of the Vale was to focus on the development and control of the Vale.
The Targaryen's grip over the Vale wasn't strong as they hadn't conquered the land themselves.
Although House Baelish originated from the Vale, its influence was minuscule, almost non-existent, and they still needed the support of the traditional nobility of the Vale to propagate the royal decrees.
The Vale was the least reformed territory, mainly due to its geographical challenges; many villages hidden within the mountains were hard to reach unless guided by local nobles.
Of course, this lack of influence didn't imply a rebellion from the Vale's nobility. They didn't have the courage yet. Facing the royal decree from the Iron Throne, they trembled, but Littlefinger, with his power acquired through treachery, needed to exert extra effort to govern this land.
The royal council officially informed the envoy from Naath, Miraz, that the Iron Throne had decided to send a fleet of two thousand men to Naath. They would be stationed on the islands near Naath to protect the Naathi from pirates and slavers.
Naturally, the Naathi were overjoyed. Miraz had been anxious since his cousins had a brawl with a prince named Joffrey Waters half a month ago.
Although Miraz had learned the Common Tongue during his time as a slave, he was not familiar with the situation in Westeros and didn't understand the significance of Joffrey's identity.
Yet, it seemed the outcome was that Joffrey was punished for assaulting a princess, and his mother Cersei was reprimanded for her lax discipline.
"Thank you for your aid, Your Grace."
In the study of Maegor's Holdfast, as Viserys informed Miraz of the Iron Throne's decision to send troops to Naath, the envoy from Naath, with tears in his eyes, attempted to kneel before Viserys but was stopped by a wave of the king's hand.
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