Danyla's return atop the hundred-meter Black Dragon had undoubtedly given the Reach Army a much-needed boost. As they gazed at Kingsgrave in the distance, their eyes burned with a hunger for battle.
The Reach had rarely gained the upper hand in its long struggle against the Dudornish. Yesterday's victory, coupled with the protection of the great dragon Danyla rode, finally gave them hope of utterly crushing the Dornish.
Kingsgrave stood atop a high hill in the southern portion of the middle of Prince's Pass. It was another Dornish fortress castle, easy to defend and difficult to assault. In all those years, the Reach Army had never taken it on its own.
Long ago, a King of the Reach had even fallen there, giving the Dornish a glorious feat to boast of for thousands of years.
Dense vegetation and abundant water surrounded Kingsgrave. Several canyon plains rich in grass and water had helped House Manwoody, which held the castle, amass considerable wealth and resources.
As a result, more than a hundred massive ballistae lined Kingsgrave's towering walls, and its reserves of military supplies were plentiful.
More than three thousand well-trained standing troops also placed House Manwoody among the more powerful great houses of Dorne.
Earl Tarly led the army to a campsite five kilometers from Kingsgrave. They would rest properly for the night, then begin their assault on Kingsgrave the following morning.
"Rafa, you and Myracis and the others should hurry up and devour those charred Dornish corpses. The weather's hot now, after all. We don't want them breeding viruses."
"Woman?! You're a human, yet you would have your own dragons devour your kind?!"
"Heavens! How horrifying!"
"As a noble dragon, I..."
Danyla cut the chatterbox dragon off.
"Female dragon! If I tell you to eat, then eat! What's with all