Above Greyshield, three Dragons circled in midair: the black dragon Balerion, the green dragon Vhagar, and the white dragon Viserion.
Spiraling dragonfire began to fall, and scorching heat spread through the air.
"I would have let him live, if he had knelt to me," Gendry said, looking at the headless corpse of Harras, who had stood among the highest of the Ironborn. "Harras Harlaw had great value."
Ser Harras's stern, long-faced head had been cut off, tarred, and mounted on a spear.
"He was Rodrik's heir and supporter," said the old but still sturdy Lord Jason Melisent. Jason wore a winged helm and an indigo cloak.
Seagard in the Riverlands had been built to defend against the Iron Islands, so its people knew the Ironborn factions well.
Harlaw was not the largest of the Iron Islands, but it was the richest and most densely populated, and Lord Rodrik's strength could not be underestimated.
"A pity he was as hardheaded as the rest of the Ironborn," Gendry said. To him, Ser Harras was only a minor figure. The only one worth his full attention was Crow's Eye.
"But if Harras is dead, Lord Rodrik may be in danger. He is the brother of Balon's wife, and naturally supports the old Kraken's children," Randyll Tarly said. "Crow's Eye likely won't spare his enemies."
Every Ironborn captain was his own king, so the Ironborn were a loose thing by nature.
Rodrik Harlaw, Gorold Goodbrother, and Dunstan Drumm were all opponents of Euron Crow's Eye. The three of them feared Euron would expand the war, but they could not overcome the Ironborn's hunger for the Old Ways.
Harlaw was the wealthiest and most populous island.
House Goodbrother had produced more kings at Kingsmoots than House Greyjoy. Hammerhorn lay deep within the island's hard stone hills, far from the open sea, and House Goodbrother's wealth came mainly from mines rather than the sea.
"House Goodbrother and House Harlaw are both oddities. Houses that rely on trade don't seem to care much for raiding," Gendry thought. In any case, it was a matter of divide and rule, of distinguishing between different kinds of Ironborn.
Since the Ironborn were stubborn beyond saving, they could only be dealt with physically, with Dragon bombardment.
"Harlaw will not be the last. These men who refuse to kneel, I will wipe out their clans," Gendry said calmly.
"This is already their second rebellion. Treason."
Dragonfire swept over all the Ironborn corpses. With a few soft pops, the dead men's eyeballs burst like eggs, and their hair seemed to swell, like crowns of flame.
The charred stench stirred the Dragons. Balerion tore away most of Harras's body, swallowing while breathing fire to roast the corpses on the ground.
The Dragons roared together and began tearing at human flesh.
The three Dragons fought over Harras's corpse and devoured it completely.
"Could Harras's corpse still carry the bloodline of the ancient Grey King?" Gendry wondered. But that bloodline was far too old, and likely held little magic now.
All Ironborn houses claimed their blood could be traced back to the Grey King and his sons. Only House Goodbrother believed themselves descended from the Grey King's loyal elder brother.
Gendry watched the three Dragons tear and feed. Dragons were chaotic, evil creatures, born for war.
To Dragons, eating men was no different from eating anything else. In wartime, Dragons did not refuse human flesh, but they did not especially love it either.
Most outrageous of all, some Dragons even ate their own kind, and dragon eggs.
Nearly all the knights and servants stepped back together. Garlan Tyrell could hardly bear the sight.
"Enough. Balerion, Vhagar, Viserion."
Gendry stopped the feeding Dragons. A little was fine. Treating men as a proper meal was too evil.
The good thing was that Dragons had no special interest in humans. Cattle, sheep, and large fish were their favorites.
Rolling dragonfire burned until the Ironborn were completely swallowed.
Garlan Tyrell watched Gendry command the Dragons. The fierce creatures had already turned away.
"These Dragons obey King Gendry's commands, and they are very tame."
"Dragonkeepers."
Sandor Clegane brought the Dragonkeepers in black scale armor forward, pushing great cuts of butchered bull meat. The Dragons instantly lost interest in the Ironborn corpses.
Smoke rose from the Dragons' nostrils, then flame. The Dragons roasted all the beef and began feasting.
Garlan wiped the sweat from his brow. It was not the cruelty of the battle that unnerved him, but the terror of the Dragons.
"Your Grace..." Garlan said. "Aside from House Serry, the other three lordly houses have been completely destroyed."
"Go gather clues about their distant kin."
"Yes, Your Grace."
"We absolutely cannot let Crow's Eye escape," Ser Hobber Redwyne said.
"Quiet, Hobber. Don't forget why your father sent you to Highgarden," Garlan said.
As the second son, Ser Hobber was part of Lord Paxter's worst-case plans. Paxter had sent away his daughter and his second son.
"He won't escape. He will still be waiting for me," Gendry said, handing over his battle-axe. His new squire, Dickon Tarly, lifted The Wail of the Kraken and began wiping the blade for the King.
This had been Randyll Tarly's private request, and Gendry had no reason to refuse. Randyll's younger son truly did seem like a fine knightly seedling.
A King's or Prince's squire could be changed. Once a squire became a knight, another could be chosen. There was no problem with having multiple squires.
Gendry's former squires had been Anguy and the others, but Anguy had already been knighted.
"Valyrian steel is extremely sharp. Be careful."
"As you command, Your Grace." Dickon's face flushed red. "My father has Heartsbane, and I have wiped it for him many times."
Garlan noticed Dickon, but said nothing.
Westeros had a two-layer system of rule, the great lords and the Iron Throne. The direction of lesser lords depended on which was stronger, the King or the great lord.
Customs officers, wine tax collectors, wool tax collectors, and others sent by the Iron Throne also moved through the realms.
Now that the Dragons had returned, under the rule of the Dragon King, the royal power of the Iron Throne was reviving. Naturally, the lords would draw closer to the King.
"Toward the Westerlands, notify Old Oak to prepare and secure the connecting area."
"Understood."
"Move the trebuchets toward Oldtown. Also, leave some men to guard the Shield Islands."
"As you command, Your Grace," Garlan said.
In truth, the Shield Islands had already become dead towns. It would take a very long time for them to recover.
...
Fair Highgarden, beautiful Highgarden, green Highgarden.
The army returned to Highgarden with news of victory in the first battle. Harras's head was mounted on Lothor's spear.
Gendry rode a black steed, while Daenerys rode a small silver horse.
The golden quartered war banner rose above all other banners, and a river of gold, silver, and steel flowed forward.
The Dragons circled above the crowd, shadows cast within the blazing sun.
The commotion and shouting stopped. Ten thousand voices fell silent. Every pair of eyes turned to the sky.
"Gods above."
The nobles, knights, ladies, and Oldtown guild merchants in Highgarden widened their eyes. The Dragons had come. Oldtown could be saved.
"How did they grow so quickly?" Lady Olenna whispered in disbelief. When she had seen them last, these Dragons had not possessed such fighting power.
"Welcome His Grace Gendry the First, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Ruler of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, King of Myr, Tyrosh, the Stepstones, and the Disputed Lands, Commander of the Wolf Pack Company, Breaker, Lord of Dragons, Sword of Morning Light, Dragon King Storm, and his wife, Queen Daenerys."
Horns sounded, and Ser Barristan, clad in a white cloak, proclaimed it loudly.
The outside of Highgarden's three rings of walls was packed with people. Lady Olenna had brought a crowd of nobles to wait for the King at the outer wall beneath the hill.
Five white knights escorted King Gendry and Queen Daenerys, along with the King's squires. On either side were gold-cloaked guard knights, knights of the Stormlands, knights of the Vale, and more.
Behind them, the Unsullied stood tall with shields and spears in hand, the steel spikes on their helms flashing cold as daggers.
"Your Grace, you are the savior of the Shield Islands," Ser Willas Tyrell declared.
"Your Grace, Oldtown is at your command. Oldtown begs for your aid," Ser Jon Cupps said. He was House Hightower's envoy, and Lord Leyton's son-in-law.
"The Kraken also sent us a letter of humiliation. Crow's Eye seized Lord Leyton's son Gunthor, and the letter was written in blood."
Jon wailed as he presented the challenge before everyone, the blood challenge.
"Great King Gendry, please come to Oldtown's aid."
The merchants of Oldtown were the most desperate.
"Yes, Your Grace. The Ironborn burned our ships and warehouses."
The merchants wept and clamored at once.
The face House Hightower had lost could not be helped. These merchants had been waiting all this time.
The Ironborn had set the docks ablaze, and every merchant had suffered heavy losses. They feared and hated Crow's Eye. Now that they saw Gendry, they grew even more excited.
***
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
[email protected]/PinkSnake (50 Chapters Ahead).
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.
***