Game of Thrones: Viserys the Three-Headed Dragon.

Chapter 150: Storm's End Sends Out Troops

The king's army set out from Storm's End in the long-awaited morning sunshine.

The army snaked out from behind the castle like a great metal snake crawling out of its lair.

Just outside the castle, new deserters were put on the stake. When the army was on the move, the rear party members were still performing the work of offering sacrifices when the army was leaving, and the sacrifices would ensure the smooth journey ahead.

The queen's party announced: "Lady Melisandre has prayed to the Lord of Light, and from now on, wherever the king's army passes, it will be sunny!"

The royalist knight who intended to assassinate the red-robed priestess beside the king was hung on the side. There was no wound on the body, but through the open clothes, one could see that his skin was burned black from the inside out.

When people rode past the body on horseback, they knew that the power of the Red Woman was no fake.

The knight wanted to assassinate the priestess at the battle banquet in public, but the priestess just looked at him and he fell to the ground and died.

The bachelor said he was burned to death.

How terrifying.

The lords of Dragonstone who still remembered it recalled that Master Cressen had once tried to assassinate her with poison, in order to deny her, her power, her magic, and her god. However, when Master Cressen and the red priestess drank the poisoned wine, only Master Cressen died.

“R’hllor is powerful here, my lord,” the woman said. “The holy fire will protect the faithful and cleanse all evil.”

People remembered that many people praised her for her beauty, but in fact she was not beautiful. She was blood-red and horrible.

The knights were all wearing plate or mail armor. Their armor was covered with dents and scars from hundreds of battles, but it still gleamed brightly in the rising sun.

The king only required them to dress like this when he went to war. When they arrived on the battlefield, the king wanted them to change into light clothes.

Although faded and stained by washing, torn and mended, their flags and cloaks still looked colorful in the ranks - sky blue and orange, red and green, purple and blue and gold.

Each knight had his own guards, servants and soldiers, followed by blacksmiths, cooks, grooms, and teams of spearmen, axemen and archers, including both gray-haired veterans who had experienced many battles and newcomers who were fighting for the first time.

Behind the army came the baggage train: mules, horses, oxen, and armies of wagons and carts loaded with food, fodder, tents, and other supplies.

The rear guard, composed of fully equipped knights, followed behind.

Following them are semi-hidden guards and attendants who will ensure that no one with ulterior motives follows the army.

The direction of the army's march needs to be kept secret until the king officially declares war.

Scouts were sent to the front of the army formation, spreading out in all directions to drive away spies and explore the way ahead.

The sound of trumpets spread throughout the army. The forest of spears gleamed coldly in the sun, and the dew on the grass by the roadside refracted the sunlight.

The army's marching route will be Storm's End - Bronze Gate - Hayhall, and then from Hayhall north along the edge of the Royal Forest. The junction of the forest and grassland can provide cover for the march.

It was estimated that this was a distance of nearly one hundred leagues, or three hundred miles.

"Ten days." The knights told each other.

Most of Stannis's horses were captured by the Lannisters in the Battle of the Blackwater, but they still gathered a batch from all over the Stormlands during their time at Storm's End. After Florent's supplies arrived, they bought another batch. Merchants always know what sells well.

Ever since Tyrell withdrew his troops, horse traders have begun to come to Storm's End to sell horses.

Stannis knew that someone was quietly replenishing his forces behind the scenes, allowing him to quickly rebuild a cavalry unit that could fight abroad. He knew.

Now most of this army of about 4500 people are cavalry.

In fact, marching can be faster. For example, when Stannis attacked King's Landing, the cavalry traveled day and night and took only seven days to reach the south bank of the Blackwater River, a distance of more than a hundred leagues.

But Stannis wanted to give Dragonstone time to react, so the march was deliberately slowed down. The battlefield he chose was on the plains north of Cape Marseille, not far from the Kingswood, so that the left wing and the reserve could be covered by the dense forest of the Kingswood, and the threat of the dragon was reduced to the minimum. Lady Melisandre could hide on the battlefield and look for opportunities.

"What would Robert do?" A lord of Stormland in the front army couldn't help asking. Robert's bravery during the War of the Usurper was praised as godlike, but even so, they couldn't imagine how Robert would fight a dragon. After all, Rhaegar was just a Targaryen on horseback, and Viserys, who they were about to face, was a dragon rider.

"If it were Robert, he would certainly take the initiative to attack, but he would fight on horseback on the real plains." Ser Fell answered. The Fell family was defeated by Robert in the Battle of Summerhall. Lord Fell was killed by Robert in a one-on-one duel, and began to pledge allegiance to the Baratheons. But even though they have a kind of deified attitude towards Robert's fighting ability, they are now facing a dragon, and they are unsure. "The Targaryen king doesn't like Robert. Maybe he will be the first to be burned to charcoal by the dragon's flames when the cavalry charges."

"It would be best if King Stannis did not hear this," Ser Justin Massey said. "She is with us this time. The last time we fought without her was at the Blackwater."

"Our enemies seem so powerful." Sir Fell sighed, "and all we rely on is a witch who knows black magic, using women to fight dragons."

"She is not a simple woman." Justin Marseille said in fear, "You have also seen that since she started the sacrifice, the sky in Stormland has cleared up. Also, at the banquet, the maester told me that the assassin's internal organs were burned to charcoal."

"I know what happened to him." Sir Fell said unhappily, "I say, this war is really interesting. The dragon roasts the skin, the witch roasts the internal organs, and ensures that everyone of us is cooked thoroughly."

"Your Majesty has ordered Lord Alister to remain at Storm's End," Ser Marsell said. "We all know what that means."

Stannis's choice is to win or die.

Only fools abandon the side of the winner.

Whatever suspicions the adults had, the common soldiers did not yet know enough about dragons, and with the Queen's propaganda and Melisandre's blatant display of magical power, the common soldiers had built up some confidence in their king.

He has a hero's sword, the magical sword Lightbringer that glows at night. And the Red Woman brought the long-lost sunshine to the Stormland - that may be fake, but the assassin's death is true, and it is also true that deserters will be tied to the stake and sacrificed to the King of Light.

Although the confidence is not much, it is enough.

As long as Stannis or the red priestess can injure the dragon, the army will see hope and fight for him.

The King's Road was flat and smooth, and the vanguard of the army arrived at the Bronze Gate City on the first day.

The land outside Tongmen City had also been abandoned for a long time, perhaps because the weather was fine when the army's vanguard arrived. In the dusk, there were farmers burning straw as fertilizer in the fields, women cutting weeds, a team of oxen plowing the fields, and a dozen old women and men guarding with pitchforks and axes.

When the vanguard of the army arrived in front of the castle, people and animals fled back into the city.

When the bugle sounded and the vanguard waved the flaming red heart flag towards the castle, the acting lord of the Bückle family came out of the city to greet them.

The small castle of Tongmen City could not accommodate such a large regular army. The vanguard set up camp under the wall, dug trenches and placed stakes.

After the central army arrived, the king did not accept Sir Bruce Buckler's invitation to rest in the city, but chose to live in a tent with his soldiers in the military camp outside the city. The king inspected the camp before nightfall, just like a normal march, and then returned to the central army tent with a solemn face.

From then on, the king did not summon anyone to discuss military matters. He only let the teams rest and arranged for night duty…

Though from time to time, His Majesty was glimpsed before the brazier in the center tent, gazing into the flames. He was conversing with the Red God, some said. Lady Melisandre beside him prayed for him, others insisted. Either way, it meant that the King was carrying the power of the Lord of Light into battle.

The next day, the vanguard continued north along the King's Road, and after leaving Sir Buckler's territory, they began to turn east and entered the edge of the dense royal forest and the grassland. There was only a narrow path that was only wide enough for a carriage to pass through, leading to the Hay Hall, and this was the last road with human traces on this march.

The army was quartered at Hay Hall that day.

Scholar Juna was summoned by the king.

As the accompanying scholar, Maester Juna's only role was to take care of the few cages of ravens that accompanied the king's army.

The bachelor only received one order: "Send letters to all places, bachelor."

"A letter to the lords of Stormlands. If I die in the next battle, the Baratheon dynasty will vanish. The false king who reigns with the Baratheon name is a bastard born of incest. Shireen Baratheon is the only legitimate heir to the Baratheon family. According to the law, Shireen should inherit Storm's End and Stormlands. The vassals of Stormlands should be loyal to her." He pursed his lips. Shireen could not inherit the Baratheon dynasty, but Stormlands must not fall into the hands of the bastard born of Lannister incest. Shireen might be controlled by her husband in the future, but for the sake of responsibility, he had to leave this letter.

"Also, to the King of Dragonstone. I am the rightful King Baratheon, and he has illegally invaded my territory and the territory of my vassals. I will lead my troops to recapture Stonehenge and the Point for my subjects, and then Dragonstone. If he considers himself a king, then invite him to bring his army to fight to the death. If he dares not to fight and only dares to hide in the castle, then please leave my territory and return Dragonstone. I promise that I can pardon his crimes in exchange for his avoiding bloodshed, and let him and his sister return to Essos safely. King Baratheon only gives him two choices, choose to leave or fight, choose to live or die."

(End of this chapter)