By early January of year 103 of the Conqueror's Calendar, the war Danyla had launched in Dorne had already lasted more than half a year.
By then, Danyla had firmly secured western and northwestern Dorne, along with the entire Red Mountains region.
This had divided Dorne into two very different worlds. Throughout Danyla's occupied territories, massive infrastructure projects were in full swing. Dragonstone avenues, artificial canals, and new villages and towns sprang up everywhere like mushrooms after rain.
The greatly improved climate had brought good harvests throughout the occupied territories. In particular, the lands around the first five castles she had taken had already yielded one harvest.
Thanks to the superior seeds supplied by Holy Flame Island, that season had produced an exceptionally abundant grain harvest.
The thirty percent rent in kind collected from the free folk alone was enough to feed Danyla's army for the following year.
Eyriehold's grain production had not only made it entirely self-sufficient but also left a substantial surplus. Its livestock population had surpassed the hundred-thousand mark, enough to feed all the great dragons under Danyla's command.
Unfortunately, there was no need for it yet, because her great dragons flew off every day to hunt Dorne's free livestock in the central and eastern regions.
Wyl and Kingsgrave had taken in the most refugees and free folk. New arrivals already accounted for more than half their populations, which also made the native Dornish in nearby villages much more compliant.
After all, under Danyla's rule, they had enjoyed the rare experience of having enough to eat that year. The endless stream of caravans, merchants, and peddlers had also given them a taste of economic prosperity.
Since Blackmont, Skyreach, and Yronwood were under military administration, all their crops were grown by the stationed soldiers and enslaved captives. The