Capítulo 549: Chapter 549: Return of the Army
As dawn broke the next day, the sun's rays dispersed the gloom of the night.
Yet, smoke still billowed from the old town, occasional skirmishes echoed through the streets, but for the most part, the banners of the Dornish army waved triumphantly.
"No! Please, mercy!"
On the streets, a soldier from House Hightower was brutally dragged out from a residence by the men of Dorne. Clad in tattered armor and weaponless, he had hoped to evade capture by hiding. Fear and desperation painted his face as he fell to his knees, pleading for his life. However, a Dornish soldier, wearing a scarf, mercilessly slit his throat, letting his body slump onto the ground.
Nearby, a soldier of House Yronwood dispatched a gravely wounded foe with a spear.
As daylight grew, the aftermath of war scarred the streets of the old town. Ruined buildings, scattered bricks, countless bodies, and rivers stained with blood painted a grim picture.
The war was over.
Dorne's army had emulated the feats of King Samwell Dayne of Torrentine by capturing the old town. The Dornish, after countless years, had once again taken this land. Many Dornish nobles viewed this victory as a lifelong glory.
Mounted on majestic steeds and clad in armor, they paraded through the streets, taunting their age-old enemies, earning them the resentful glares of the old town's inhabitants.
For the citizens and the soldiers of House Hightower, this night was unforgettable.
The Starry Sept had collapsed, and the legendary Dothraki, whom many had only heard of or considered mythical, invaded the Citadel.
The maesters of the Citadel might have heard of these horse lords, but reading about them was not the same as facing them. Yet, surprisingly, upon their invasion, the Dothraki did not slaughter everyone. Except for a few who resisted, those who surrendered were spared, seemingly following a specific command.
The surviving archmaesters, maesters, and novices were imprisoned within the Citadel, which had been temporarily transformed into a jail. Notably, the books within the Citadel were preserved, not burned.
Days later, news of the end of the war spread like wildfire to Highgarden, accompanied by reports of naval victories.
The conquest saw three land armies from House Targaryen, and at sea, the royal navy, led by Lord Commander Jeffrey Bracken, attacked Gulltown.
The naval forces of the Just Men went out to battle but faced a devastating defeat at Crab Bay. The royal navy, under the experienced leadership of the lord commander, then launched a fierce assault on this major Vale town.
The two sides battled for over a month, and as the primary forces of the Just Men debated their strategy in the Eyrie, Gulltown fell. It was only then that the defenders of the Eyrie decided to unite against the common enemy.
Lord Yohn Royce of Runestone led the armies to recapture Gulltown, with the 'Blackfish' Brynden Tully as his deputy commander. Concerned for the safety of young Lord Robert Arryn and Lysa Tully in the wolf-infested Eyrie, and fearing a power vacuum in his absence, Lord Royce decided to take the mother-son duo with him.
As the deputy commander, the 'Blackfish' wielded significant power and managed thousands of Stormland troops. Angered by the events in the Eyrie, and particularly protective of his niece, he too chose to keep Lysa close.
Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish also marched with the army. Currently, the Vale's forces were marching towards Gulltown.
News from the old town and the Vale reached Highgarden. The king, supposedly recovering in Highgarden, had just returned, but awaited news from the Westerlands.
The Dothraki, having shown restraint in the old town, returned to Highgarden with scholars and every movable manuscript from the Citadel. Many ancient manuscripts, too fragile to move, were left behind after the Citadel's archmaesters pleaded with Khal Drogo.
Even after leaving many ancient texts, the amount of material to be transported was staggering. The Dothraki commandeered numerous carts and freed thousands of warhorses to transport these treasures to Highgarden.
Upon their return, King Viserys punished Khal Drogo for the Dothraki's actions in the old town. In a public display, Viserys whipped Drogo three times. Drogo, shirtless, knelt silently, accepting each lash as if it had been pre-agreed.
Afterwards, in recognition of the Dothraki's contributions, Viserys appointed Drogo as War Minister of the new dynasty, doubling the Dothraki's territories across the Narrow Sea. He also promised to lead them back to Vaes Dothrak and rule all tribes.
The Dothraki, elated by the king's promise, raised their arakhs in a jubilant cheer, as if the earlier punishment was forgotten.
Following this, Viserys met the scholars from the Citadel, who had been brought to Highgarden.
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