Smoke over Cape Wrath

The morning mist on Bloodstone Island, carrying the lingering smell of sulfur, clung to the crimson cliffs, like a thin veil covering this land that had just experienced war.

On the sea near the dock, scattered pieces of wood and charred ship planks still bobbed with the waves. House Velaryon sailors rowed their small boats, using long hooks to scoop up the wreckage.

The purpose was both to clear the waterway and to recover usable timber to repair the ships damaged in yesterday's interception battle.

On the deck of the "Blackfyre," The Smith were busy working around the ship's ballistae.

On the red-hot the Anvil, the scorching hot steel bar was repeatedly hammered, and sparks splashed onto the seawater-covered ship planks, instantly condensing into tiny water droplets.

Rayford Rosby stood to one side, holding a thick ledger, his pen flying across the parchment as he recorded the supplies taken inventory last night. "Three hundred and twenty Dragonglass arrows remain, seventeen freshwater barrels are broken, and only half a jar of medical Myr ointment remains—"

As Daemon walked by, he caught a glimpse of the small crosses drawn on Damon's ledger and couldn't help but stop. "How are the wounded?"

"Fortunately, only twelve of our newly joined Crab Claw Peninsula members were injured. Three of them were grazed by poisoned arrows, but after using the antidote sent by Lord Corlys, they are already able to get out of bed and walk around." Rayford raised his head, his eyes showing obvious fatigue, but still his words were clear and organized. "The prisoners have also been counted: 137 Tyrosh mercenaries, 81 Dorne from the Three Cities, and 3 Dornish scouts. They are all being held in the temporary prison on the island, guarded by Jarman and his Shadow Guards to prevent them from causing trouble."

Daemon nodded, his gaze sweeping across the other side of the deck.

Led by dragon guards transferred from Dragonstone by Baelon, several Valyria descendants from Crab Island and Tidehead Island were Glutton cleaning the bloodstains from the Glutton's dragon scales.

However, with Daemon by his side, this once infamous Black Dragon, the "King of the Wild Dragons," obediently lay on the ground, letting them wipe it with linen soaked in warm water, occasionally letting out a low "purr," as if enjoying the peace after the battle.

As for Grey Ghost, the "little brother," he was curled up next to the claws of his Glutton "big brother," the light gray dragon with a colorful thread picked up from the mercenary ship in its mouth, having a great time.

"Your Highness, Prince Baelon requests that you proceed to the Royal Standard to convene a council meeting." Colin Celtigar's voice came from the gangway, his cuffs still stained with ship paint, clearly having just come from the shipwrights repairing the Sea Snake. "His Highness Big Daemon, Lord Corlys, the Duke of Taimond, the Marquess Sunderland, Big Horas Redwyne, and my uncle, Earl Bartimos, are all present."

Daemon straightened the collar of his black leather armor, gently Gael into his clothes, nodded to indicate that he understood, and then followed Colin toward the "Royal Standard".

The red rocks of Bloodstone Island are even more vibrant in the morning light. Smoke is rising from the temporary camp on the island, and medics are distributing herbal soup to the wounded. The air is filled with the bitter smell of herbs and the aroma of roasted meat, creating a rare warmth in the post-war era.

Inside the council chamber of the "Royal Standard," nautical charts were already laid out.

Prince Belron sat in the main seat, his emerald eyes sweeping over the crowd, his finger resting on Bloodstone Isle: "Though we won yesterday's interception, the cunning of the Three Cities Alliance and the Dornish Sand Serpents far exceeded our expectations. If they could use the Tyrosh mercenaries as bait, they dared to use even more schemes. Today, I've gathered everyone here for two reasons: first, to set up the defenses of the Stepstone Isles; and second, to discuss post-war governance. We can no longer rely solely on military suppression as before; we must ensure that this island truly belongs to Westeros."

Corlys House Velaryon spoke first. As the most experienced naval warrior present, his finger quickly traced the waters between Grey Gallows and Bloodstone Island on the Stepstones Archipelago map. "Judging from the terrain, Grey Gallows has many reefs, suitable for setting up outposts and underwater Dragonglass spikes. I had the shipwrights rush to make a batch overnight, with a small amount of Dragonglass powder quenched on the tips, enough to pierce the hull of the Triarchy's fast ships. In addition, the island's old docks can be converted into temporary gun emplacements, equipped with ten improved ballistae, and garrisoned by the Marquess Sunderland with the Three Sisters ' fleet and the Vale Knights. Their Three Sisters ' sailors are familiar with this terrain and can guard the entrance to the reef area."

"Bloodstone Island is the core; it needs permanent fortifications," Bartimos Celtigar continued. As the second-highest-ranking Crownlands, although he was known throughout Westeros for his cunning, his cunning was also built upon his intelligence. Pointing his finger at the Red Rock area of Bloodstone Island, he said, "The rock here is hard, suitable for carving arrow towers. Bring some stonemasons from Dragonstone to combine the towers with Dragonglass plates, which will protect against both arrows and Wildfire. A few of the House Velaryon silver ships can be left to garrison the area, and the rest will go with Lord Corlys to clear out the remaining pirates in the Narrow Sea and ensure the supply lines remain open."

Daemon Targaryen leaned against the bulkhead, toying with a pair of swords he'd acquired from who-knows-where. He raised an eyebrow at the question, "And what about me? I can't just watch over Tyrosh's prisoners every day, can I? Caraxes's flames haven't burned enough yet!"

Baelon glared at him, but didn't really reprimand him. "You'll be in charge of patrolling the east side of Bloodstone Island with Caraxes. That's the main shipping lane from the Narrow Sea to the Stepstones, and the Triarchy reinforcements will most likely come from there. Remember, don't be impulsive like before. If you encounter enemy ships, scout ahead first, then rejoin the main force. No solo operations are allowed."

"Okay, okay." Daemon Targaryen looked at his extremely serious father, gave a helpless smirk, but still managed to drop his earlier joking expression.

After all, if it weren't for Little Daemon's timely reminder yesterday, he would have almost led Caraxes into the mercenary fleet's encirclement, and he still felt a bit scared when he thought about it now.

Taimond Lannister remained silent until Baelon looked at him, at which point he slowly spoke, "Five ships from the Westerlands can remain to assist in defense, but our main force must return to Lannisport as soon as possible—we haven't fully recovered from last year's Burning of Lannisport. If Dorne or the Triarchy joins forces with the Ironborn of the Iron Islands to launch another surprise attack on the Westerlands, I won't be able to explain myself to the nobles of the Westerlands."

"Duke Taimond, rest assured," Corlys added with a smile, "Once the defenses of the Stepstones are secure, the Joint Fleet will send troops to support the Westerlands. Furthermore, we have established a new trade tax— Westerlands Territory merchant ships passing through the Stepstones will have their toll reduced by 20%, which can be considered compensation for the Westerlands's support of the Joint Fleet."

Taimond's eyes lit up slightly, the golden lion ring twirled on his finger, and his tone softened considerably as he feigned difficulty as he spoke, "If that's the case, since the Iron Throne and the Seven Kingdoms need them, we in the Westerlands can keep three more ships."

In the latter half of the meeting, the participants began to discuss postwar governance.

Edwin House Arryn of Gulltown was appointed as the temporary logistics officer, in charge of coordinating the food and supplies of the Stepstones. After all, this guy was from the "Golden Eagle," a branch of the House Arryn with a completely different style from the rest of the family. He and the nouveau riche nobles and merchants of Gulltown could be said to have nothing but money.

Bartimos Celtigar's eldest son and heir, Clymont Celtigar, was responsible for staying behind in Echo Bay to supply the fleet with the fishing resources there, which could be considered a "benefit" for working for the old crab;

As for Lancel Lannister, representing House Lannister in the Westerlands, and Garlan Tyrell, representing House Tyrell in the Reach.

Besides temporarily replacing the Stormlands Stormlands who did not participate in the meeting and assisting the Marquess Sunderland in defending Grey Gallows, the two were also responsible for releasing the civilians enslaved by the Triarchy before leaving. Most of these civilians came from the Narrow Sea coast, Baelon ordered that they be allocated land on the Stepstones to participate in the reconstruction of the islands, which would both stabilize the people's hearts and replenish the labor force.

"As for trade," Corlys unfurled another parchment, which depicted trade routes across the Narrow Sea, "the Triarchy previously exploited merchants by imposing heavy taxes. We will do the opposite. For a short period, we will tax Westeros merchant ships at 10%, friendly Free Cities at 20%, and hostile Triarchy merchant ships at double the rate. This will both attract merchants here and cut off the Triarchy's source of revenue."

Baelon nodded in agreement, then proceeded to allocate the post-war benefits of the Stepstones to each of the seven nations. "We also need to establish political officials, selecting reliable individuals from the Joint Fleet. For example, William Manderly and Lancel Lannister can manage security, Hoster Tully, William Redwyne, and Garlan Tyrell can handle paperwork. These are all talented young men from the Seven Kingdoms, ensuring that affairs on the islands are managed; we can't rely solely on the military."

Some of these young people are heirs to dukedoms or lords of a certain realm, while others are the most promising members of their families who will assist the next generation of patriarchs.

This distribution of benefits not only attracts resources from their families to support the construction of the post-war Stepstones, but also gives these lords face, satisfying their need to cultivate and enrich the next generation's resume. It can also subtly influence the next generation of nobles from the Seven Kingdoms to identify with the Joint Fleet and even the Iron Throne.

This not only won over the hearts of the people but also provided these nobles with everything they needed.

The council meeting continued until noon, and by the time everyone dispersed, the docks on Bloodstone Island had regained much of their vitality.

House Velaryon's swift silver ships, carrying skilled shipwrights from the shipyards of Hull and Gulltown, began transporting Dragonglass spikes and materials gathered at various ports from Dragonstone, Crab Island, High Tide, and other places to Grey Gallows.

As for the riverboats in the Riverlands and the grain ships in the Reach, they began preparing to sail towards Echo Bay carrying food and supplies. The entire Stepstones, like a machine that had restarted, slowly recovered from the wounds of war.

However, as soon as Daemon returned to the Blackfyre, a travel-worn messenger stumbled towards him.

The messenger wore brown leather armor from the Stormlands, his armor stained with dried blood, his face covered in dust, and his hair matted together, clearly indicating that he had traveled through the night.

"Your Highness! Urgent military intelligence!" The messenger knelt on the deck, pulling a bloodstained secret letter from his robes and handing it over with both hands. It seemed the Stormlands people trusted their mistress Jocelyn's adopted "son" more than the rest of the Allied Fleet. "Duke Bomond has ordered me to deliver this to you as soon as possible—Obaia Shad, the Dornish Sand Serpent, has appeared at Windfury Cape with her fleet and is already engaged in battle with Young Master Boros's Stormlands fleet! The frontier lands have also been plundered by the Dornish, and several villages have been burned!"

Daemon's heart sank, and he grabbed the secret letter.

The letter, though stained with seawater and blood, still bore clear writing. "Obara Shad, leading fifty large ships and three thousand Dorne mercenaries, launched a surprise attack on our patrol vessels off the Cape Wrath. Borros led an interception, resulting in casualties on both sides. Near Stonehelm in the Dornish Marches, Dorne troops have been plundering villages, killing twenty-seven civilians. Duke Boremund has already dispatched reinforcements. We earnestly request the Joint Fleet to send reinforcements immediately, as we fear Dorne has other plans."

"Cape Wrath— " Daemon's fingertips trembled slightly. A sudden thought flashed through his mind: Vaegon Targaryen's rare, parting words of advice before he left Vaegon had astutely instructed Maester Bernard to hold a map of the Stormlands, pointing to Cape Wrath and saying to Daemon, "This is the gateway to the Stormlands. If the Dornish also participate in this battle with the Triarchy over the Stepstones, they will definitely bypass us from here. You must remind Baelon and Duke Boremund to strengthen the defenses along the Dornish Sea coast of the Stormlands."

His mind was preoccupied with the battle on the Stepstones, so he just gave a casual reply and forgot to take it to heart!

"How could I forget this—" Daemon punched the gunwale in frustration, the scabbard of the Blackfyre striking the Dragonglass plate with a dull thud.

If Cape Wrath falls into Dorne's control, not only will Stormlands be in crisis, but the Joint Fleet's retreat route may also be cut off again. If the Triarchy tries to contain them from the front, and Dorne launches a sneak attack from Cape Wrath, and then the two join forces to blockade the Stepstones, the Joint Fleet stationed on the Stepstones will be attacked from both sides and face utter disaster!

"Rayford! Immediately have everyone quickly inventory the supplies of the Blackfyre and the rest of your ships, prepare fresh water and provisions, and set off lightly equipped. We need to depart for Cape Wrath immediately!"

Daemon's voice was urgent, "Have Jarman take a few brothers from the Dark Blade Guard and stay to guard the prisoners. Don't let those two big fish escape from the innermost part of the cell. Alyn and Little Horas. stay behind with their House Redwyne fleet to assist Prince Baelon in defending Bloodstone Island. Send a message to Uncle Baelon, telling him I'm handling the matter at Cape Wrath and will be back soon! Also, keep an eye on Daemon Targaryen; don't let him act rashly. His previously concealed injury hasn't healed yet!"

Rayford didn't dare delay and immediately turned to make arrangements.

Upon hearing the news, Rupert Crabb immediately summoned the men of Crab Claw Peninsula to inspect their crossbows and weapons, preparing to depart at any moment.

Daemon Targaryen landed on the deck on his mount, Caraxes. Seeing Daemon's expression, he immediately dropped his joke, "What's wrong? You look so anxious. Has the Triarchy attacked again?"

"It's the Dornish Sand Serpents, clashing with the Stormlands at Windfury Point." Damon handed her the secret message. "I forgot Uncle Vigen's warning and didn't have Duke Bomond reinforce the defenses of Windfury Point. Now this has happened."

Daemon Targaryen's face darkened after reading the letter. "Then I'll go with you! Caraxes's flames will be just enough to burn the Dornish ships!"

"No," Daemon shook his head. "The Stepstones can't be without dragon guardians. You have to stay and help Uncle Baelon. I'll take the Glutton and the Grey Ghost, and a few more House Velaryon silver ships. That should be enough to support Stormlands."

He flipped and leaped onto the Glutton's back. The Black Dragon let out a deep roar, and the wind created by its outstretched wings made the dragon-patterned banners on the deck flutter loudly.

The Grey Ghost followed closely behind, and the light gray dragon seemed to sense the tense atmosphere as well, ceasing its play with the silk threads and staying close to the Glutton.

"Wait for me to come back!" Daemon shouted to his father, Daemon Targaryen, below Glutton took off and flew towards Cape Wrath.

Bloodstone Island below gradually shrank, and the three silver ships of the House Velaryon raised their sails and followed behind, sailing away from the harbor.

Daemon looked down and saw Prince Baelon riding Vhagar, circling above the Royal Standard. The green dragon's shadow was facing him, as if reminding him to be careful.

From the direction of Cape Wrath, faint wisps of smoke could be seen rising from the distant sea.

Daemon gripped the Blackfyre tightly, his heart filled with both guilt and determination.

I feel guilty for forgetting Vaegon's warning and letting Stormlands fall into crisis;

They were determined to get there as quickly as possible, hold Cape Wrath, and prevent the Dornish plot from succeeding.

He touched the dragon scale amulet in his arms, as if he could feel Gael's warmth.

"This time, we won't make a mistake," Daemon whispered to Glutton. "We have to win, for Stormlands, and to go back to see everyone."

The Black Dragon let out a loud roar, its wings flapping even faster, like a black lightning bolt slicing through the sky above the Narrow Sea, flying towards the beacon fire at Cape Wrath.

A new war has quietly begun at the gateway to the Stormlands.