Ice and Fire: Reign of the Dragon.

Chapter 435 Suppressing Bandits
Othrys found Reg I at the makeshift medical station in Flea Bottom.

The king was not wearing a crown, his silver hair was tied casually behind his head, his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and he was bandaging an old woman's festering wound. His movements were so skillful that he looked more like a battle-hardened military doctor than a monarch.

"Your Majesty." Osiris bowed slightly.

Reg looked up, a hint of surprise flashed in his purple eyes, and then turned into a smile: "Osiris? It seems that Uncle Ringol is finally willing to let go. But I didn't expect it to be you."

"My uncle's body can no longer support him." Osiris said bluntly, "Your Majesty, I have something important to report."

Reg wiped the medicine stains off his hands and motioned for him to continue.

"Although the plague has subsided, the number of bandits in the Crown, Stormlands, and Riverlands has increased." Osiris lowered his voice, "Hungry peasants picked up sickles, and the defeated mercenary groups and bankrupt knights began to rob caravans. Some even pretended to be nobles to collect "epidemic prevention taxes."

Reg's brows furrowed more and more tightly: "Specific location?"

The new king knew that bandits were rampant. Daenerys and Aegon were separated by a large group of bandit knights, but at that time neither the king nor the nobles had the energy to deal with these guys. Earl Clinton led his army to clear out some of them, but was soon forced to withdraw to the territory due to insufficient supplies and his own needs.

"In the southern part of the Crown, on the edge of the rainforest in the Stormlands, and in the Riverlands, they are everywhere - especially from Blackfish Town to Earl Harroway's town. The Deathless Rally and the Hedge Knights shuttle between the Riverlands and the Crownlands. They are numerous and difficult to deal with."

The king was silent for a moment, then suddenly sneered, "It's just right. Maekar is bored and keeps yelling about killing people." He patted Osiris on the shoulder, "Bring it up at the royal meeting tomorrow. We must get rid of these scum as soon as possible."

As the dusk deepened, the silhouette of the Red Castle looked like a dormant beast in the sunset. Osiris looked at the lights gradually lighting up the streets, knowing that the real challenge had just begun.

the next day.

In the throne room of the Red Keep, the morning light shone through the high windows, casting mottled shadows on the fierce spikes of the Iron Throne. King Rhaegal I sat on the Iron Throne, calmly watching the new royal meeting that had been convened.

The important officials of the Imperial Council were divided into two sides:

Lord Bloodraven Brynden lowered his one eye, and his figure under his cloak was more hunched than before, but he still exuded an aura of pressure that could not be ignored.

The new Lord Admiral, Harwin Redwyne, still had the salty smell of the sea breeze on his body. This "drunkard" earl was rarely sober today, and there was no intoxicating smell of alcohol on his body.

The "Heartbroken" greatsword on the back of Lord Justice Alan Tarly tapped lightly on the stone slabs with his steps, and the "Little Hunter" of Horn Hill stood there expressionlessly.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Harry Florence, was talking in a low voice with several golden-robed generals, and the subtle sound of beads colliding could be heard from his sleeves. Beside him, the captain of the Kingsguard was still in Dragon's Nest and was away for the time being, and the Grand Secretary stood hunched over beside him.

When Othiris Vareses entered the hall, everyone's eyes were focused on the dragon knight. He was wearing a silver and gold-woven robe, and the silver dragon laurel leaf emblem on his left chest shone coldly in the morning light. His steps were steady, as if he had been prepared to bear this heavy responsibility.

"Your Majesty." Otherys knelt on one knee before the Iron Throne, his purple eyes looking directly at the king, "Dragon's Nest greets you."

Reg leaned forward slightly, the spikes of the Iron Throne casting tiny shadows on his cheeks. "Get up, Lord Othrys. How is Uncle Ringol doing?"

"Weak but stubborn." Osiris's answer caused several ministers to smile knowingly, "He insisted on completing the final government affairs for you personally before he was willing to ride away on his dragon."

Rhaeg stood up, and the scabbard of the Blackfyre Sword clashed with the throne. A servant came forward with an ebony box, and in the box lay the King's Hand brooch made of Valyrian steel. It was newly made, prepared for Othrys. "Othrys Varezes." The king's voice echoed in the hall, "In the name of our ancestor Aegon the Conqueror, I appoint you as the Hand of the King, Protector of the Realm, and Chief of the Small Council."

When the heavy brooch was hung on Osiris's chest, Maekar in the corner of the hall suddenly whistled. The prince leaned against the stone pillar. "Lord Osiris. The government affairs of King's Landing can make people old quickly. Are you sure you want to take on this burden?"

Osiris turned to him, his lips slightly raised. "I just need someone who is familiar with bandit suppression to be my consultant. I heard that you used the bandit leader of the Royal Hunters as bait?"

Maika patted the sword at his waist proudly: "Are there still a few heads left to hang on the city gate? Hehe, if our 'drunkard' Admiral didn't spit on the city wall."

Earl Harwin glanced at Meka indifferently and said, "Your Highness, if you want me to spit on the city walls, you have to empty your wine cellar for me."

There was a burst of laughter.

A sharp light suddenly flashed across the Blood Crow's single eye: "Silence! Since we are talking about suppressing bandits..."

A huge sheepskin map was unfolded in front of the Iron Throne. Red dots marking bandit activities were spread across the three regions like a plague. Osiris's finger passed over the southern part of the Crown Territory: "The Brotherhood of Madmen and the Gathering of the Unwilling to Die are used to hiding among the common people. The Hedge Knights and the Fish Hunters have natural defenses as their bases. We need dragon riders to cooperate with the ground encirclement and suppression."

"The sheep thieves need to stretch their muscles." Maekar licked his lips. "Don't those 'hedge knights' like to call themselves knights? Let them have a taste of the greetings of a real dragon."

Reg suddenly pointed the tip of his Blackfire sword at Stormland: "The 'Storm Riders' here have looted several castles." The king's purple eyes burned with cold anger, "The Baratheons and their lords have made requests to the royal family, Maekar, do your best."

"As you command, Your Majesty." Othiris and Maekar bowed at the same time.

By the time the meeting was over, the sun had moved to the highest point of the Iron Throne. The new Hand of the King stood by the window, looking towards the Dragon's Lair, where the Sheep Thief was lazily basking in the sun.

The pre-dawn mist covered the swamps of the Trident River tributaries, and the water surface was shimmering with leaden gray light. "One-ear" Hal, a sentinel of the Fishing Brotherhood, leaned against a crooked willow tree, whittling a wooden stick with a dagger out of boredom.

"Damn the weather," he muttered, blowing into his hands, "even the water birds..."

An unusual ripple caught his attention. The mist on the water suddenly moved unnaturally, as if it was stirred by some huge wings. Hal squinted his eyes, and before he could look up, the whole world suddenly spun, and the last thing he saw was a pair of huge dragon claws covered with peat-colored scales falling from the sky.

The blast from the sheep thief's dive overturned the entire outpost. Maekar gripped the dragon saddle tightly, feeling every tremor of the old dragon's muscles. Although the second largest dragon in the Targaryen family was old, its hunting instinct had not diminished at all, and it was even more ferocious.

"Southeast, main camp!" Meka patted the dragon's neck.

The sheep thief let out a hoarse roar, and the dragon's flames ignited the hidden path in the reeds. The flames spread rapidly along the tarred boards, turning the fishing brotherhood's carefully designed escape route into a death trap.

Deep in the swamp, the bandit leader "Harpoon" Rosso woke up from his dream and found that the water fort outside his tent was in chaos.

"dragon!"

(End of this chapter)