"We've discussed Serena; now it's time for the intelligence from the east," Ray steered the conversation back to their most pressing concern. As the most significant event in Westeros currently, King Daeron's grand expedition, launched immediately after his ascension, had successfully invigorated the kingdom. The gold left by Jacaerys I and Aegon II, enough to fill thirteen treasuries, provided ample backing for Daeron's military adventure.
And the King's Hand—yes, before departing, King Daeron had appointed his uncle Viserys as King's Hand. Although Viserys strongly opposed his nephew's expedition, once his nephew made his final decision, he diligently planned the army and provisions for him.
This was also why Daeron confidently left only three hundred men and one dragon in the burnt city of Ricca Lacron before pursuing Robert's scattered army.
Indeed, Viserys's work was meticulous and swift. Not long after Daeron's army departed, a second contingent of over twenty-six thousand soldiers, along with large quantities of supplies, farmers, and artisans, successively arrived at Ricca Lacron. Those artisans, farmers, and commoners immediately began rebuilding the port city. The commanders of this army were Lord Harold Reyne, the "Blood Lion" of the Westerlands, and Lord Domeric Bolton, the "Flayer" and veteran general from the North. This force, composed of well-equipped Westerland infantry and Northern veterans in chainmail and fur cloaks, was one of Westeros's strongest heavy infantry units. After a brief rest, they left three thousand soldiers to assist in defending the town, while the remaining army, escorting provisions and supplies, began pursuing the King.
"For the past four months, His Majesty the King has used Ricca Lacron and the newly occupied town of Ho Sulei as strongholds, concentrating his forces to attack the so-called alliance of scattered sands in the Disputed Lands."
Rhaegor sneered.
"That was indeed a scattered mess. Those self-proclaimed powerful warlord-tyrants were terrified after seeing Robert's fate. Their armies immediately collapsed upon seeing dragons; some didn't even need an army, just a dragon flying by was enough. This allowed the King's army to advance near Lake Mill in just thirteen days. The army of the so-called 'Invincible' Horus was incinerated by the combined dragons of Daenerys and Prince Aemon. Lord Domeric and Lord Hugh executed a hammer-and-anvil tactic on Horus's main forces, crushing the coalition assembled by this great warlord. However, Horus is indeed a talent; he managed to maintain his defensive line by leveraging his underground fortress and the swamps, rivers around Lake Mill to contend with the dragons."
Dragonzel sighed. Indeed, dragons could kill soldiers and burn castles, but a small number of dragons were helpless against enemies hidden in caves and underground.
And according to intelligence gathered before the war, Horus was considered one of the most powerful warlords in the Disputed Lands. His second-in-command, "Iron Wall" Mortarion, was a Ghiscari slave from Slaver's Bay. He was trained by his master as an architect before being sold to the Disputed Lands. After being taken in by Horus, this architect displayed his talent, overseeing the construction of Horus's castle and underground fortress, transforming them into a vast defensive system.
It was originally useless.
Given the typical skirmish scale of a few hundred people in the Disputed Lands, such a large bunker defense system was completely for show.
No one could have imagined it would actually prove useful.
"Lord Domeric and Lord Benjicot Blackwood led the infantry to encircle Horus's outer bunkers, but since he's a local, Domeric Bolton fought very cautiously. For the past four months, almost three and a half months have been spent chipping away at Horus's fortresses, with almost no progress."
Rhaegor said with emotion, "This was unexpected by His Majesty the King. He was not prepared for a prolonged war of attrition with that alliance, nor was he prepared for the dragons to be ineffective."
"He encountered something similar to what Prince Daemon faced back then," Ray sighed. He hadn't personally experienced Prince Daemon's conquest of the Stepstones, but Dragonzel had told him about that long-lasting war. "If Horus and Mortarion's fortresses cannot be dealt with quickly, and we get bogged down in a protracted war, if the King cannot resolve the logistical issues soon, this expedition will quickly burden the kingdom itself."
Dragonzel nodded, "That's why I was reluctant to participate in this expedition, Rhaegor. You are my heir, and you know some things. We must ensure that before the Long Night comes, we, and even the kingdom, suffer as few losses as possible. Rhaegor, constantly monitor the offensive in the east, and if necessary—"
He suddenly stood up, "I will personally ride a dragon into battle." He looked into the distance, "Vermithor has grown sufficiently. Even underground fortresses will collapse and melt under Vermithor's dragonflame."
Rhaegor was stunned; he had never seen his old father so seriously calling for battle and slaughter.
"Understood, Father."
Meanwhile, in Igor's room.
The boy groggily climbed out of bed.
His memory stopped at when he was training with his sister. As for the images in his dreams, he had completely forgotten them.
"Igor, how are you feeling now?"
Daenerys sat by the boy's bed, her face full of worry, and asked cautiously, "Are you uncomfortable at all?"
Sebastian stood by with a bitter smile, as if he were being punished.
"Igor, Daenerys was like crazy, she wouldn't listen to me at all."
"I'm fine, Sister, just suddenly very tired," Igor said weakly.
Suddenly, it was as if a lightning bolt flashed through his mind.
He seemed to vaguely recall something. Yes, a silver dragon, and that incredibly dazzling, aurora-lit Wall in the ice and snow.
"I think I dreamed something…"
"What did you dream?" Sebastian suddenly pounced forward, his face full of shock.
"Sebas, get up!" Daenerys shoved her cousin away, huffily saying, "Igor just woke up, don't scare him."
"Daenerys, you're not usually like this," Sebastian said, somewhat hurt. "Igor, tell your brother what you dreamed."
Igor carefully recalled the things he saw in his dream, describing them bit by bit.
Daenerys was still bewildered; she just thought her brother had a bizarre dream, the only strange thing being that he suddenly fell asleep.
Sebastian, however, grew more and more expressive as he listened.
He looked at his cousin with a serious expression.
"Igor, if I'm not mistaken… you might have had a dragon dream. You might be the first… dreamwalker in our family's history."
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