Under Danyla's forceful discipline, the entire Western Army soon took on a different air. Though she still found it painful to look at, it was at least far better than the other armies of the Seven Kingdoms.
In her previous life, Danyla had admired those beloved soldiers in green uniforms. Compared with these men, they were practically heavenly warriors descended to earth.
The merchant caravans that stayed with the army became much better behaved, too, while more than half the courtesans and camp followers vanished overnight. This made it much harder for Dornish spies to find opportunities to strike from the shadows.
The caravans and prostitutes who withdrew from Eyriehold were all arrested near the Tower of Joy by the garrison waiting there.
Better to kill ten thousand innocents by mistake than let a single culprit escape. In an age when people would murder for a mouthful of food, Danyla did not believe they would so readily abandon such a lucrative opportunity unless they had something to hide.
Of course, some might have left out of fear or caution. But extraordinary times demanded extraordinary measures. Besides, even if they were sent to the mines, they would have food and clothing, and their personal safety would be assured.
On July 1, Year 103 of the Conqueror's Calendar, the Western Army officially began its march toward Kingsgrave under Earl Tarly's command. Danyla rode her great dragon high overhead, keeping watch, while her Red-feathered Falcon and King Vulture flew straight to the vicinity of Dorne's major cities to monitor their movements.
After the Eastern Army captured Yronwood and Wyl, and Dornish guerrilla warfare proved utterly ineffective, Dorne's great houses began to realize that things were going badly.
Moreover, Danyla's blockade of the Dornish Sea had all but wiped out the Dornish fleets and