One Region Defeats Five, the Use of Power, Designing the Lannisters

That single remark

made the air in the tent so heavy it was hard to breathe.

Just a quarter of an hour ago, this had still been a place of laughter, merriment, and clinking cups. Now it was as silent as a graveyard.

The candle flames still danced atop their silver holders, casting expensive ornaments into shifting light and shadow.

But no one had the mood to admire those exquisite decorations anymore.

The lords of The Reach looked at one another, every face filled with shock and melancholy.

The crushing defeat of the royal army and The Westerlands had thrust The Reach straight into the eye of the storm.

Of the players at the table in this war,

only Suleiman, The Reach, the Stormlands, Dorne, the Poor Fellows, the Vale, and the West Riverlands armies remained.

The balance of the situation had been broken.

"Now, the only players left at the table are Suleiman, the Vale men, the West Riverlands men, the Stormlands, the Dornishmen, and..."

Mathis Rowan wore a grim expression, his fingers unconsciously tapping the tabletop.

"The Stormlands and the Crownlands have fallen, and after this disastrous defeat, House Baratheon is finished."

"Robert Baratheon no longer has the strength to rule the Seven Kingdoms."

Everyone understood his unspoken meaning.

The return of House Targaryen was now inevitable.

As lords who had once supported the royalist cause, the Reach had bent the knee to Robert Baratheon after the War of the Usurper. They could easily claim they had done so under duress.

Now that the true dragon had returned, they could change banners, switch allegiances, and once again swear fealty to House Targaryen.

Arguments gradually broke out. They began in hushed tones, but soon swelled into a noisy quarrel.

Some advocated immediately withdrawing to Highgarden to watch and wait.