The sun shone from the southwest, illuminating the starboard side of the tranquil Ironborn Fleet even brighter.
Under the light.
The "Silence," with its red hull and black sails, had acquired a brand new decoration.
The decoration was located at the bow.
It was a naked maiden tied to a crossbar, right next to the figurehead.
The maiden had long legs, a slender waist, high breasts, and her arms were stretched out straight. The sea breeze blew her hair high, revealing a face of despairing silence.
Those who knew her could still recognize her: the bastard daughter of Fair Isle, Mia Stonehouse.
Although, apart from the skin color of a living person and mottled bloodstains, she was almost identical to the Black Iron maiden figurehead.
And she wasn't the only one.
Great King Euron had specifically shared this pastime with all the warships.
Lord Farman, Jenny Farman, monks, knights... the trophies were displayed boastfully at the bow, boosting morale.
Great King Euron said:
"Let them feel the spray from the bow, that's the Drowned God's kiss, wet and salty."
The Ironborn knew that these words were true.
The seawater was, of course, salty. And this was indeed the Drowned God's kiss.
What Is Dead May Never Die!
The surging sea was the domain of the Ironborn! The Iron Islands would rule the Seven Kingdoms!
The invincible kraken would smash Highgarden's shields!
To this end, the mighty fleet of longships sailed directly from Fair Isle towards the Shield Islands, not approaching the coast for several days.
But even after sailing out of sight of land, into the mysterious depths of the vast sea, the surface remained calm and gentle, and the wind direction was still incredibly favorable.
The fleet was unharmed, as if aided by the gods.
That's right!
What other explanation was there? The Drowned God had blessed this battle!
The confidence of the Ironborn raiders swelled as never before, as if the sweet fruit of victory was already within reach.
And they were indeed full of confidence.
Currently, the longship fleet had silently approached its target. The warriors had sharpened their swords to a keen edge, and an invincible kraken was escorting them beneath the waves.
What could stop the Ironborn's advance?
They had arrived!
The first shield, Greyshield Island!
They were close enough to see the port on the island. As expected, it was completely unprepared, with defenses so weak they were practically non-existent.
The fleet no longer concealed itself, blowing horns and beating war drums as they advanced!
"Smash the shields!"
The raiders from the Iron Islands all detested these hateful shields.
"The Mander River will be ours again!"
The Mander River, which flowed deep into the Reach, had a gentle current, was wide, and full of treacherous reefs and sandbars. Most seagoing ships dared not sail past Highgarden, but longships had a shallow draft and could sail upstream all the way to Bitterbridge.
It was practically a raiding route tailor-made for the Iron Islands.
"Take Highgarden!"
The Iron Islands would certainly not overlook such a godsend.
In ancient times, the Iron Islanders had bravely sailed into the river, raiding the banks of the Mander River and its tributaries, with no one to stop them. The weak Reach farmers could only gaze at the river all day, trembling, and shiver with fear at the sight of the longships.
Until the King of the Green Lands armed the fishermen on the four small islands at the mouth of the Mander River and appointed them as his shields.
Annoying shields!
Two thousand years had passed, but along the rugged coastlines of these islands, grey-bearded old men in the watchtowers still followed the ancient tradition, maintaining vigilance.
As soon as they saw a longship, they would light the beacon fires, sending the message from one hilltop to another, from one island to another. Alarm! Enemy! Raiders! Raiders!
The fires burning high gave them courage they shouldn't have had.
The fishermen put down their nets and plows and picked up swords and axes. Their lords rushed out of their castles, bringing knights and soldiers.
From Greenshield Island to Greyshield Island, from Oakenshield Island to Southshield, the horns of war echoed across the water. Counterattacking ships quietly sailed out of the moss-covered stone caves along the coast, their oars flashing, surging into the strait, blocking the Mander River, and driving the raiders upstream to be annihilated.
From then on, longships could no longer sail into the Mander River at will.
But this time was different.
The longship fleet attacked Greyshield Island with great fanfare, even though the beacon fires on the watchtowers everywhere had already ignited, extending to the other islands further east.
The Shield Islands were alerted.
But at least for now, Greyshield Island had only a few fragile merchant ships and patrol boats, no match for a fleet of longships.
Besides, what if all dozens of warships from the Shield Islands arrived?
Let the Shields all come!
The Kraken will smash the shields to pieces! The sea around Greyshield Island will become a graveyard for the cowards of the Green Lands!
Hundreds of reavers landed on the shore without looking back, slaughtering everyone in their path as they advanced towards the villages and towns, not at all worried about their retreat being cut off.
Or rather, what they were hoping for was an interception by enemy ships.
Heh heh, who is the prey?
The killing and chaos on the island intensified.
Men died wailing or roaring, women struggled in pain and screamed in terror, young children sobbed or cried miserably and confusedly...
The beacon fire high above could only burn and glow emptily and powerlessly, and the guards in the castle dared not sally forth rashly.
Everyone was praying for the arrival of the Shield Fleet.
Come quickly and protect the people!
Come quickly and destroy the longships, kill all the vile Ironborn!
Even if they had all gathered at Oakenshield Island, it would be at most half a day's sail from here! Even shorter!
Come quickly!!
Otherwise, it will be too late...
Euron "Crow's Eye" did not go ashore. He stood at the bow of the Silence, quietly admiring his masterpiece.
The two maidens at the bow also had to witness such a tragic scene.
But they could only remain silent.
The Black Iron maiden figurehead had no thoughts, no mouth.
Mia Stonehouse had no tongue.
The torment of the past few days was even harder for her to bear than losing her tongue; she even wondered why she hadn't died yet.
But even though she held a thousand words in her heart, they all stopped and dissipated in her throat. The complex emotions were far beyond what the single word "regret" could explain.
Her hope had long since been extinguished.
The sea wind howled more wildly, scattering her hair at will, covering her eyes that could still see the world, confusing her ears that could still hear sounds.
She closed her eyes. It didn't matter.
What could be worse? What was there to look forward to? Nothing but pain and darkness.
Perhaps this was the fate of a bastard daughter.
...
Another bastard daughter had a completely different mood.
All the warships of Oakenshield Island had weighed anchor and were sailing at full speed towards Greyshield Island, which was currently suffering humiliation.
The situation was urgent. The traditional fleet and the new changes had to quickly adapt and integrate. Clearly, the Shield Islands were the ones making concessions.
Falia Flowers thus boarded the deck of the family flagship under the name of "Liaison Officer," becoming an officer.
Everything happened within just half a day.
The bastard daughter, whose circumstances had been turned upside down, tried to maintain a serious posture, but her eyes revealed bright joy and surprise.
So this was what it felt like to give orders, and this was what the view from a warship looked like.
It was even better than a dream.
She also resolved the doubts that had arisen when she was eavesdropping at the feast.
Divine Grace referred to that beautiful light screen.
The First Fleet was the fleet that originally belonged to her father.
It had a stronger body and armament: every ship had become as large as this flagship, and the deck carried "ship cannons."
Having witnessed the demonstration of the ship cannons, Falia Flowers no longer had any worries about this naval battle.
Mere Krakens, mere Ironborn.
Besides.
Your Majesty was coming soon
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