Chapitre 45: Chapter 45: The Decay of Dorne and the Court of King's Landing
The camp of House Yronwood.
Lewyn Yronwood took the golden crown from the Dornish noble who had surrendered to him, a gift passed on by Tigarro. He slowly placed it upon his head.
"Long live the High King of Dorne!" The first to raise his sword and shout was Lord Jordayne, who had personally led his forces to join the victory. Before Queen Nymeria united Dorne, the Jordayne family had been loyal vassals of the Yronwood family, and even after centuries of Martell rule, the two houses still maintained close ties.
Almost simultaneously with him, Lord Manwoody of Kingsgrave houted the same words. The Manwoody ancestors had once claimed the title of king, and it was said that one of them had slain a Gardener King from the Reach. Thus, their sigil was a crowned skull. However, the current Manwood family had long since declined, and the family, located near House Yronwood, had no choice but to rely on their powerful neighbors for survival.
"Long live the High King of Dorne!" The vassals of House Yronwood raised their swords in unison.
"Long live the High King of Dorne!" The lords of the central Dornish territories who had surrendered after Prince Qoren defeat also raised their swords. After the battle cry of their cavalry, they had been unable to find the Martell banners and, in the end, had bent the knee to Lewyn Yronwood. Among the most eager to surrender was House Qorgyle of Sandstone, who had once been vassals of House Yronwood during the time of their kingship.
House Yronwood's forces had just expanded by thousands. There was a palpable sense of resurgence, akin to the strength Dorne had seen before Nymeria unification.
Lewyn watched with satisfaction as the cheers rang out. The fireworks swirled in the night, concealing Tigarro's face in the shadows. Lewyn, content, raised his cup and approached Tigarro in a corner.
"Envoy, I have a daughter, 13 years old, yet to reach her first moon. I wonder if there is any chance she might be wed to the Dragon King." He drunkenly gazed at Tigarro's face. "If the Prince or the King's son has an interest, feel free to let me know. I respect the marriage customs of Valyria."
Tigarro stared at Lewyn with a look of incredulity but hid his emotions well.
"Your Majesty, such matters must be consulted with the Prince."
"Haha, envoy, please send my regards to the Prince." Lewyn raised his cup. "To Prince Draezell."
---
Starfall.
Upon receiving news that Prince Qoren had been defeated by Lewyn Yronwood and that the frontier forces had crushed the eastern Dornish coalition, Albain Dayne, who had imprisoned his own father, finally saw the opportunity he had longed for. His sister, Obara Dayne, also sent him what he had been waiting for from **High Hermitage**.
A crown carved with rivers.
The young knight eagerly crowned himself, proclaiming himself as the King of the Torrent River, Albain V of House Dayne. House Blackmont, unable to stand against the powerful House Dayne, sent envoys to pledge their submission.
Having lost most of their army and their house head, the Uller's went mad once more. The young man, once hoped to be saner than his father, crowned himself as the King of the Great Desert.
Dorne, once unified, was instantly fractured into pieces.
Prince Qoren, who had fled in disgrace back to Sunspear, immediately sent ravens denouncing the three families who claimed the title of king as rebels, calling for the Dornish lords to unite against them.
However, Dorne's fragmentation was now a reality. House Wyl's entire domain had already been absorbed by Draezell, who announced a tax exemption for the Dornish people for the year. He restructured the tax system once imposed by House Wyl, easing the burden on common folk. He also imported large quantities of grain from Essos into the frontier and newly acquired lands, greatly alleviating the damage caused by the war.
---
Sunspear.
Prince Qoren sat wearily in his chaise lounge. The shadow of his defeat hung heavily over the city, and the once-bustling Greenblood River port was now eerily quiet, a far cry from its former prosperity.
"Your Majesty, there is still one path left to us." Morros Caffel, Qoren chief advisor, stood beside him, speaking softly.
"Don't tell me we need to bend the knee to the Iron Throne." Qoren knew that option well, but it was no longer realistic. A Dornish Prince who could unite all of Dorne was a force that the Iron Throne would find difficult to ignore. But a Dornish Prince whose authority extended to only a quarter—or less—of Dorne would not be nearly as valuable as House Yronwood, which now controlled much of the region.
"Your Majesty, the Iron Throne desires Dorne's submission, even if it's only in name," Morros said, stating the obvious. "Whether it's House Yronwood, Dayne, or Uller, their bold declarations of kingship are likely supported not only by their own power but also by external forces."
"I know." Prince Qoren had known this ever since Lewyn Yronwood's cavalry ambush. Only dragons could so precisely track his movements without being detected. "That little Prince must have been quite helpful. A fragmented Dorne is far more useful than a unified one. It gives him the time he needs to absorb House Wyl's lands, that damnable Uller… Seven hells."
The thought of the man who had almost single-handedly dragged Dorne into the abyss filled Prince Qoren with murderous intent.
"Your Majesty, we can use this."
"Hmm?" Prince Qoren seemed to have an idea. "What do you mean?"
"Whatever Yronwood can gain from Prince Draezell, we can too. Since Prince Draezell desires a divided Dorne, we will give him a Dorne of warring factions," Morros said with a neutral expression.
"He wants a united Dorne, but he can't allow one family to dominate," Qoren sighed suddenly. "It's a shame Alexandra is too young. Wait, Morros, do you have any intelligence on Prince Draezell and his people?"
Morros nodded. "I've been prepared. Princess Alexandra is 7, and Prince Rey, Draezell's brother, is only 13. The age gap is perfect, and Prince Rey also has a dragon."
"Morros, would you be willing to act as my envoy to visit Prince Draezell and then head to King's Landing to negotiate terms with the Iron Throne?"
"It would be my honor," Morros placed his hand on his chest.
"Bang."
The sound of something crashing to the floor came from the room behind them.
Qoren coldly summoned a servant. "Tell the housekeeper to keep an eye on Princess Alexandra. She is not to leave the palace until Morros returns."
"As you command, Your Majesty."
---
King's Landing.
Red Keep, the Small Council chamber.
Otto Hightower sat silently in the position of Hand of the King, and the other ministers in the room also remained quiet.
That was until Criston Cole, looking disgruntled, entered with the King.
The silence was shattered.
"My lords, Dorne has fractured," the King said bluntly. But it was clear from the expression on his face that he was pleased.
"Our long-held wish may finally come true."
---
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