Game of Thrones: The Black Dragon King

At the banquet, Viserys publicly announced the marriage between Rhett and Princess Rhaenyra. Two weeks later, before the King's wedding, an engagement ceremony would be held, and once the princess turned sixteen, she would officially receive Dragonstone and be married.

Earl Corliss was furious at the King's swift actions and Reid's sudden change of heart, his face turning ashen. Rhaenys and Lana, on the other hand, seemed quite unfazed, even clapping and cheering in unison. The only son of Aquaman, who was originally supposed to be banished, wore a gloating expression. Damon's expression was inscrutable, revealing neither joy nor anger. Sir Otto, who was accompanying him, frequently raised his glass in toast at the banquet, and it was clear to anyone with eyes that he had drunk exceptionally much that day.

But the joyous atmosphere was quickly shattered. Amidst the urgent alarm bells of the Climax City watchtower, three Valerian warships, their decks charred black and still smoldering, sailed into the docks of Tidehead Island…

Early the next morning, a quarter of the merchant ships at the docks of Spice Town and Shiphull Town hurriedly departed, while the rest were also hastily selling their cargo.

Lord Corliss issued a summons, gathering the vassals and troops of Valerian in preparation for an early campaign against the pirates entrenched on the Stepstone Islands. The King and Princess were to return to King's Landing ahead of schedule. Rhett Butler was also to join the initial battles, thus canceling the planned engagement ceremony in King's Landing.

"Ahem!"

Reid, who was supervising the loading of siege equipment, turned around at the sound. Renilla stood behind him with two black-haired noble maids.

"This is for you." Renilla handed her gift to her fiancé.

Reed took it and unfolded it. The red handkerchief was embroidered with a black dragon that looked like a duck. The style of the embroidery was completely out of place with the handkerchief’s fine stitches and exquisite decorative patterns.

"Windsworth and Beatrice helped me with some of the work, but I embroidered the dragon myself, based on your family crest..."

"Thank you, I like it very much." Not wanting to embarrass anyone, Reed carefully tucked the handkerchief into his breastplate.

"Give it to me!" Renilla put her hands on her hips and stretched out a hand to Reid with a haughty expression.

So that's what they were waiting for. But Reed wasn't offended at all. Compared to the classic argument about seafood and duck, this "little trick" was quite pleasing. He readily handed the ornate Vulcan one-handed sword to Renilla.

Renilla took the one-handed sword, drew it from its sheath, and the blade gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight. With a gentle swing, the sharp sword sliced ​​through the air with a "whoosh" sound. A hint of excitement flashed in her eyes, but she maintained her haughty expression, her chin slightly raised. She sheathed the sword and nodded in satisfaction.

"Ahem, so, my dear fiancé, what about the most fundamental right you promised me?"

"Your father told you everything."

"certainly."

Reed clapped his hands.

"Line up!" With the command of the junior officer, a small army formation comprising various troop types quickly arrayed itself: heavy swordsmen, heavy cavalry, horse archers, assassins, and chain mace infantry. Each performed their duties, their ranks perfectly aligned, demonstrating impressive combat skills. A flicker of surprise crossed Renilla's eyes; she was clearly both surprised and delighted by the small army soon to be under her command.

"Twenty heavily armored swordsmen will guard the courtyard. Twenty heavy cavalrymen will escort you on your journey." The heavily armored tanks removed their helmets and nodded in salute. The muscular men suited Renilla's aesthetic perfectly, making her nod repeatedly.

Reid smiled slightly. The forty muscular men were meant to be compared to a certain strong Stan, in order to create aesthetic fatigue.

"Thirty archer cavalrymen will accompany you on hunts and hunt down your enemies in the wilderness."

"Not bad." These archers with a Dornish flair piqued Rhaenyra's interest, but they weren't as appealing as the tanky, muscular men.

"Twenty assassins. To help you defend against assassinations, poisonings, and intrigues."

Completely covered except for his eyes, the assassin's cold and sinister aura made Renilla feel resistant: "I don't like it."

"But it's necessary. They can protect you in the shadows, shielding you from those shady threats. They can also gather intelligence, handle dirty work, and prevent potential crises."

Renilla frowned. Although she still felt some resistance, she understood that Reed's words made sense.

"Ten chain hammer soldiers, smashing walls and kicking down doors, are good helpers in overcoming difficulties."

"So ugly!" Renilla said disdainfully.

These dozen or so chain mace soldiers were specially selected by Reed. They were square-shaped, sturdy like walls, and their chain maces were much larger than those of ordinary soldiers. But they were indeed ugly, with large faces, beady eyes, protruding ears, and pig-like lips. Logically, such assault troops were not needed for routine defense, but Reed did it on purpose, wanting Renilla to associate these guys with a certain guy who was good at wielding a flail.

"You need a strong team to tackle this challenge," Reed said calmly.

"These people are far from the number you described."

"There is only one hundred-man guard here. The rest of the men will be handed over to you after they have been tempered by the battle of the Stone Steps Islands."

"Then don't they swear allegiance?" Renilla asked expectantly.

"That's performance-oriented; it works best when done in public to demonstrate power and intimidate your enemies and potential rivals."

"Then how do I ensure their loyalty?"

"For an army to function properly, it needs three things: weapons, pay, and food. If you control these three things, the army will obey your orders."

"But you didn't give me these," Renilla said slyly.

"You're being a bit too greedy, my princess. If I provide all of this, then who will these people take orders from?" Reed smiled.

"Alright," Renilla said with satisfaction, secretly wondering whether she should try to persuade her father to hand over the Dragonstone tax and his royal annuity to her ahead of schedule.

"In addition, necessary reward and punishment measures can also increase your prestige, unite the army's fighting power, reward those who have made contributions, and punish those who have made mistakes."

"Does that mean I'll have to spend more money? My royal annuity isn't substantial."

"But this is necessary. You need a pack of brave hunting dogs, not lifeless cattle and horses," Reed said earnestly. It's better to worry about money and food every day than to become ignorant and incapable of distinguishing between grains and meat.

"So, what advice do you have regarding wise leadership and benevolent rule?"

Reed stared into Renilla's eyes, which, though still clear and foolish, held a flicker of ambition and power.

"King's Landing is a filthy, stinking, and chaotic cesspool. Murders, robberies, and rapes happen every day in this flea-infested city. Before your uncle was banished, he even chopped off several wagons of limbs, heads, and genitals in a single day to punish criminals."

"Robbing these criminals!?" Renilla's purple eyes gleamed with excitement.

"No! No! No! There's not much profit in that." Reed waved his hands repeatedly: "The security work in King's Landing is actually handled by the Gold Robes, but their main job is the city's defense force. Apart from commanders like your uncle who are 'kind-hearted,' the others are too lazy to get involved in the thankless and tedious work of security patrols. The Minister of Justice only deals with serious cases with a bad impact and doesn't care about the trivial justice demands of the poor. If nobles are involved, he will show no restraint in favoring them."

"So, this is your chance. Think about it: the Kingdom's Light punishes the heartless brothel madam who forces women into prostitution; justice prevails for an old woman who has been robbed by villains and has nowhere to turn; and Princess Renella, who hates evil, whips the vile villain who violates innocent girls..."

"By using these noble acts of upholding justice, you can gain the trust and affection of the people of King's Landing. This will also solve your military organization issues, such as establishing a security patrol of a few hundred men specifically responsible for maintaining order, apprehending bandits, and protecting civilians, allowing the national treasury to fund your private army. You can also cultivate allies, such as inviting Lord Leonor Strong, the Minister of Justice, to help you try and punish criminals, which would also be a political achievement for him. If the perpetrator in one of your cases happens to be someone you dislike, such as someone from a certain family, then using that as an excuse to smear your opponent is also a good option..."

Reed's voice was deep and seductive: "In short: gain fame, win over allies, splurge on your private army, and strike at your political enemies."

Renilla's eyes grew brighter, and she gently clenched her fist, increasingly convinced that her fiancé hadn't chosen the wrong father. Why hadn't anyone taught her these things before? "Tell me more?"

The small flame burned brighter and brighter. Reed smiled with satisfaction and couldn't help but reach out and ruffle Renilla's soft hair: "Don't bite off more than you can chew. Let's get these things done first."

Renilla slapped Reid's hand away and glared at him fiercely: "Fine!"

After watching his fiancée leave, Reed coughed lightly twice.

"The way you're instigating my niece reminds me of Otto Hightower, no, you're even more insidious than that domineering, autocratic old bastard." Damon emerged from one side of the dockside stacks.

"Agreed!" Count Corliss, the sea serpent, also appeared.

"I think it's pretty shameless to eavesdrop on the private conversations of engaged couples, especially for someone of your age to be listening with such relish," Reed retorted.

He's talking about you, old man!

Lord Corliss, the Sea Serpent, was unfazed. He slowly walked up to Reed, a hint of amusement in his eyes: "Young man, your methods are indeed clever, but don't forget, this is Westeros, and the game of thrones is far more complex than you think."

"Whether it's complicated or simple, I'll play if I can, and I'll flip the table if I can't. It's not like I don't have the ability."

"I like that!" Damon exclaimed.

"Furthermore, Earl Corliss," Reid suddenly said, his previous playful demeanor vanishing, replaced by a serious expression.

"I'm listening," Corliss said, straightening his expression.

"I apologize for my previous behavior. The change of heart was for the long-term interests of my own family, not because your daughter is not good enough. On the contrary, under your and Her Highness the Princess's upbringing, Lannar can be said to be the most virtuous lady in the seven kingdoms. However, being rejected twice has more or less damaged her reputation." Reid bowed slightly.

"Your words conveyed sincerity, and I accept your apology. If you are worried about this joint operation, there is no need to be. Sea salt flows in the veins of the Valerian people, and our hearts are as vast as the ocean," Corliss waved his hand, feigning magnanimity.

"Please give this to Miss Lannar as a gift and a token of our affection." Reed took out another ornate lady's one-handed sword from behind his cloak and solemnly presented it with both hands. "I believe that she, who inherited both Valerian and Targaryen blood, will have descendants as outstanding as she is. If in the future we each have children of marriageable age, how about we arrange a marriage between our children?"

"This is... a Valyrian steel sword?" Damon asked incredulously.

Kolis stared in shock, his eyes widening as he hastily drew his sword. The mysterious, flowing black patterns confirmed his suspicions. As descendants of Valyria, the Valerian family had once possessed their own Valyrian steel weapons as family heirlooms, until the sea serpent lost them during the Ninth Great Voyage.

Corliss slowly examined it. Unlike Renilla's sword, which was decorated with topaz and red gold and had a dragon relief, this Varian sword was decorated in a more Valerian style, using sapphires, green snakeskin, and engravings of seahorses.

"I take back what I said! You're not only insidious, you're also cunning and treacherous!" Damon said angrily. "Tell me the truth, did you plan to two-time all along?"

"Quiet, let Lord Corliss think," Reid gestured.

After a long silence, the sea serpent sighed, "If only this were Lannar's betrothal gift!"

"This is the betrothal gift for your future granddaughter. Our two families can still maintain our friendship through marriage in the future."

"I agree. I will solemnly pass the gift on to my daughter," the sea serpent said solemnly, then changed the subject: "Tell me, does the Seris family have a method for forging Wax Steel?"

Damon also looked at Reed at the same time.

"Limited production, high cost, and requires the cooperation of dragon flames..."

"The Valerian family is the richest family in the seven kingdoms!"

"Some rare materials are difficult to obtain, and this is something that money can't solve..."

"The treasury of Climax is filled with rare and exotic treasures from all over the world. In terms of the breadth of its collection, no one in the Seven Kingdoms, or even Essos, can rival Valerian!"

"Several rare ores need to be obtained from the volcanoes of the Sea of ​​Smoke, which was extremely difficult even before the Valyrian Cataclysm..."

"Just tell me what price you want!"

"It is said that the Lannisters spent enough gold to build an army when they bought the Lightscream Sword."

"I'll give you the same amount—no! Double the amount of gold!"

"I want a fleet."

······

"Not now, but after the war, we'll give you a fleet consisting of two 300-oared warships, eight 100-oared warships, and twenty 50-oared warships."

"In addition, five ocean-going merchant ships will be dispatched, and a fleet of Valerian merchant ships will be arranged to conduct trade voyages through Meereen, bringing me minerals and selling Meereen's produce."

"Deal!" the sea serpent gritted its teeth and said.

"Now you can make your request."

"I need a knight's sword, the blade must be no less than... never mind, I'll have someone give you the blueprints. Also, it would be best if the Valerian coat of arms were engraved on the blade, and it needs to be finished before Lannino's next name date..."

"Great deals! Great deals!"