His anger found support among many of the lesser nobles, and curses against the Lannisters filled the hall.
"Blood for blood? Of course, my lord."
Ser Baelor finally spoke. "But please look out the window. Look at this ravaged land."
He walked to a shattered window and pointed at the blackened fields outside and the thick smoke that still lingered on the distant horizon.
"Highgarden, Goldengrove, Horn Hill-even Cider Hall farther away-have all suffered devastating sackings and massacres. What price has the Reach paid in just two short years? The army that followed Renly was swallowed by wildfire, and the tens of thousands of elite troops who followed Gendry met with ruin as well. Now the prosperous lands east of Highgarden have been burned to the ground. How many troops do we still have to deploy? How much grain remains?"
He turned, sweeping his gaze over them. "The flames of vengeance need strength to sustain them. But the Reach today is like an eagle stripped of its feathers, its wings broken. It can barely stand. How can it strike?"
Lord Paxter's face was livid. He wanted to object, but for the moment, he could find no compelling argument.
Baelor's words struck at the Reach's dire predicament. They had suffered grievous losses in this war.
"Then are we supposed to simply watch the Lannisters swagger about, and wait for them to come back and crush us completely?" Jon Fossoway frowned, unable to hold his tongue.
House Fossoway was divided into the Green Apple Fossoways of New Barrel and the Red Apple Fossoways of Cider Hall.
The Red Apple Fossoways of Cider Hall had also suffered at the Lannisters' hands.
He could not swallow that grievance.
"Of course not."
A smile returned to Ser Baelor's face. "We are not without allies. Before