"The Sea Snake is skilled in warfare and has proposed a combined sea and land counteroffensive. I think it's feasible."
As Viserys spoke, a questioning look appeared on his face.
Rhaegar did not respond immediately.
The sea offensive would be spearheaded by the Sea Snake's fleet alongside Aegon's Sunfyre.
By controlling naval supremacy, the fleet could sail around the southern coast of Dorne through the Summer Sea, then enter inland by navigating the mouth of the Greenblood River, launching a surprise attack on Plankytown.
Plankytown is a vital hub in Dorne, directly governed by House Martell and responsible for most of its maritime trade.
If the Sea Snake captured Plankytown and secured control of the Greenblood River crossings, Dorne would effectively be divided into eastern and western regions.
At that point, Sunspear, located in eastern Dorne, would be isolated without the support of the western noble families.
Seeing his eldest son deep in thought, Viserys refrained from urging him for an answer.
Tyland glanced around and eagerly whispered, "Lord Corlys suggests that we breach the Prince's Pass or the Boneway, allowing our main army to penetrate deep into Dorne and crush the western nobility."
The Greenblood River would still serve as the dividing line.
As long as the combined forces of the Reach and the Stormlands could break through a path, the presence of several dragons securing air dominance would completely crush Dorne's current defenses.
A coordinated land and sea assault would decisively subdue the "bloated" Dorne.
Rhaegar raised an eyebrow and said seriously, "The strategy is flawless. With this approach, taking Sunspear would be effortless."
"I think so too," Viserys said with a hint of pride.
He fully supported the Sea Snake's bold and straightforward plan.
The successful conquest of the Stepstones had given him the confidence that invading Dorne would yield similar success.
He, Viserys I, would achieve what the Conqueror could not — the complete subjugation of Dorne!
"I'll head to Highgarden soon to summon an army of ten thousand and launch a counteroffensive through the Prince's Pass," Rhaegar proposed, still weighing the options.
Viserys's eyes lit up. "So the Sea Snake's proposal isn't wrong?"
Without the discussions of the Small Council, he preferred to trust his eldest son's judgment.
Rhaegar furrowed his brows and hesitated before saying, "The Sea Snake's strategy is excellent but carries a strong desire for revenge."
"What do you mean?"
"If we conquer Dorne, we won't be able to sustain it."
"It's a conquest."
"Even after conquering it, we won't be able to sustain it."
Father and son exchanged questions and answers, both wearing grim expressions.
Resting his chin on one hand, Rhaegar clicked his tongue and said, "The Stepstones haven't stabilized yet. If we really conquer Dorne, just the tens of thousands of displaced people alone would empty the royal treasury."
And that's assuming Dorne remained peacefully loyal to the Iron Throne.
Looking to the past for guidance,
Aegon the Conqueror waged war on Dorne for years, conducting the brutal and bloody "Wrath of the Dragon" campaign, indiscriminately burning Dornish towns and villages.
Even with the kingdom on the verge of collapse, the Dornish never surrendered.
Fast-forward to the present.
Rhaegar was confident he could defeat all of Dorne and appoint loyal nobles to manage it.
However, Dorne was vast and full of sand and desert.
If the stubborn Dornish retreated into the desert, it would quickly resemble the stalemate of the first Dornish War.
They would cling to House Targaryen like leeches, draining blood without stopping.
The Iron Throne would be forced to manage Dorne while guarding against rebellion.
On top of that, the extended supply lines would make transporting provisions across the vast desert from either the Reach or the Stormlands incredibly difficult.
This imbalance would leave the Iron Throne dangerously vulnerable.
Viserys was stunned. "The Stepstones have already been subdued. Now is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
The momentum of the Narrow Sea War could be used to seize Dorne in one swift move.
After some thought, Rhaegar said, "Father, instead of expanding the scope of the war, we should strike a decisive blow to Dorne."
"The Iron Throne needs to recover and rest. Once the Stepstones are stabilized and we control the lower half of the Narrow Sea in alliance with the Stepstones, Dorne will be completely isolated."
"At that point, cutting off Dorne's sea and land connections by reinforcing the Reach and the Stormlands would be like trapping fish in a barrel."
War can be fought in more ways than one.
Applying economic pressure first could prove just as effective.
Viserys fell into deep thought as he contemplated his son's strategy.
House Targaryen's domain already stretched across the Narrow Sea, controlling the fertile Disputed Lands.
Rather than exhausting the kingdom's strength by fighting a desperate and stubborn Dorne, it would be better to isolate and besiege them for a few years.
With low agricultural output and no access to maritime trade, Dorne would face a slow death.
After a long silence, a gleam of determination flickered in Viserys's eyes as he nodded firmly.
He approved of his son's proposal.
Seizing the opportunity, Tyland raised his cup with a grin. "Let's give Dorne a hard blow!"
"Cheers!"
---
Highgarden
A white marble castle stood atop a gentle hill, protected by three sturdy concentric walls.
The lowest wall encircled the base of the hill. Between it and the second wall lay a meticulously maintained garden maze, designed to entertain guests and provide recreation.
Because of its unique design and luxurious decor, the castle was hailed as the most beautiful in all of Westeros.
Today, the White Castle welcomed two distinguished guests.
Screech—
Screech...
A massive black dragon led the way, followed closely by a pale blue dragon, soaring over the boundless plains and chasing each other above Highgarden.
At the gate of Highgarden's third outer wall, two young and beautiful ladies lifted their gazes, leading a group of attendants and guards who had been waiting for some time.
"Land!!"
A clear, youthful voice rang out, as crisp as a flowing spring.
The green-eyed devourer circled the castle walls indifferently, as if oblivious to everything else, before slowly descending at the gate.
Whoosh—
As the colossal creature landed, a gust of dust was stirred up.
Screech...
Dreamfyre, agile and graceful, descended first, lowering itself to allow its rider to dismount.
At the castle gates, the waiting party quickly sprang into action.
Margaery's eyes lit up, her smile as radiant as a flower as she stepped forward, her red lips parting. "Dear prince, dear princess, welcome to Highgarden."
Saying this, she ignored the protests of her handmaidens and took Helaena's small hand in hers.
The two girls clasped hands as they approached the crouching Dreamfyre, the distinct sulfurous scent of dragons lingering in the air.
Helaena wiped the fine sweat from her forehead and returned a gentle smile.
At that moment, Rhaegar dismounted from his dragon.
Another woman, slightly older and possessing a striking beauty, walked forward gracefully and curtsied. "Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, on behalf of my husband, I extend our sincerest greetings. Your visit is a great honor."
Rhaegar cast a subtle glance at her but pretended not to recognize her.
Margaery, still holding Helaena's hand, smiled and introduced her, "This is Alisa Redwyne, my father's new wife and the new Lady of Highgarden."
Alisa curtsied again and said with impeccable manners, "My father once fought by your side. He sends his regards."
"You are too kind, my lady."
Rhaegar smiled.
Alisa appeared to be in her early twenties. She was from the Redwyne family and had been chosen to marry the aging Lord Tyrell, who was well past fifty.
Rumor had it that she was a woman of strong will.
Margaery, ever cheerful and in control of the conversation, said, "The sun is scorching. Please, let us enter the castle. The attendants have prepared chilled sweet fruit wine for you."
Rhaegar replied, "As the host wishes."
Under the mother and daughter's hospitality, the Targaryen siblings entered Highgarden.
Margaery also thoughtfully instructed the guards to provide cattle and sheep to feed the two massive dragons.
Helaena expressed her gratitude, while Margaery held her hand and chatted away enthusiastically.
Rhaegar, however, felt little inclination to join in. Instead, he admired the beauty of Highgarden.
No matter how many times he visited, its splendor remained breathtaking.
It was like a green paradise, with flowers blooming everywhere. Gardens, pools, and artificial waterfalls adorned the entire castle.
Exotic plants rarely seen elsewhere were cultivated in abundance, interspersed among stone sculptures, fountains, and marble colonnades. Grapevines and lance-shaped banners decorated the walls and statues, while ancient buildings were carefully draped in ivy.
Everything was so vibrant, so full of life.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
Lady Alisa asked softly.
Realizing she was speaking to him, Rhaegar gave a faint smile but remained noncommittal.
Lady Alisa plucked a petal from a nearby flower and said, "Just as House Tyrell's words say—Growing Strong."
Rhaegar was surprised but nodded approvingly. "Very true."
Lady Alisa smiled and engaged in a bit more conversation, maintaining her elegant and refined demeanor.
Rhaegar glanced ahead at Margaery and Helaena, then at the solitary Lady Alisa, inwardly remarking: It seems that stepmothers have it rough everywhere.
Especially those who intend to have children to secure their family's inheritance.
...
As they walked and talked, Rhaegar gathered a great deal of information.
Lord Tyrell was not in Highgarden; he had led a group of trusted advisors to Oldtown on behalf of the Iron Throne to recruit soldiers.
Upon receiving news of Rhaegar's visit, he was rushing back without delay.
Margaery batted her large, watery eyes and said coquettishly, "Since my father isn't here, I must insist you stay for at least two days."
Her poor acting made Rhaegar chuckle.
He didn't argue and agreed.
After leaving Blackhaven, he had passed through the Prince's Pass for an inspection.
Compared to the treacherous terrain of the Boneway, the Prince's Pass had a much larger gathering of refugees—so many that even from atop his dragon, he couldn't see the end of them.
With the current strength of the fortress garrison, it would be difficult to stop tens of thousands of desperate, starving people without reinforcements from the Reach.
But there was no need for immediate concern.
Highgarden was not far from Nightsong in a straight line, and the fortress wasn't something easily breached. A delay of a day or two wouldn't be a problem.
Rhaegar asked, "How many soldiers can be recruited this time?"
"Hmm~"
Margaery blinked and thought for a moment. "This time, the Rowan, Caswell, and Tarly families are all contributing. Altogether, about ten thousand men—mostly infantry."
Rhaegar nodded, marveling at the wealth of the Reach.
During the War of the Narrow Sea, the Reach had already provided twenty thousand reinforcements.
Additionally, the Hightowers, Redwynes, and the Shield Islands had supplied a fleet of ten thousand men.
The only issue was that their combat effectiveness left something to be desired.
The troops were evenly divided between Tyrellos and Liss, with both stronghold battles nearly depleting their forces.
As he thought about this, Rhaegar shook his head to dispel the troubling images.
In this campaign of aggression against the Tri-Female Kingdoms, Westeros suffered more than 50,000 soldier casualties.
The number of fallen on the Tri-Female Kingdoms' side was countless, estimated to be no less than 100,000.
Among these, Rhaegar personally incinerated at least 30,000 to 40,000.
Killing so many people inevitably left him feeling uneasy.
This was one of the reasons Rhaegar was reluctant to conquer Dorne and further increase the casualties.
War wears down the human spirit.
Not only did the Iron Throne need a break, but Rhaegar himself wanted to rest.
...
Soon, a reception banquet was held.
In the Godswood of Highgarden, attendants pulled open sunshades and set up the feast near the water pool.
Rhaegar and Helena washed up briefly, changing out of their dragon-scented clothes, and attended the warm welcoming banquet.
"Come this way; there are plenty of ice buckets to cool off," said Margaery as she squeezed between the two siblings, linking arms with them to lead the way.
It was August, and the weather in the Riverlands was as stifling and hot as an old lady's heavy vest.
Even with a layer of black sunshades spread across the garden, the scorching sun still blazed relentlessly.
To ensure the guests' comfort, the attendants placed an ice bucket beside each table to dispel the summer heat.
Rhaegar freed himself from the soft fabric of his sheer garments, picked up a red grape, and popped it into his mouth. "As expected of Highgarden—what wealth!" he marveled.
The sheer quantity of ice buckets was astonishing.
The reserves in the Red Keep's ice cellar were not even a tenth of Highgarden's stock.
(End of chapter)