House Swann was a great lordly house of the Dornish Marches, proud and cautious. Gulian Lord Swann claimed illness and remained in his castle, joining neither side. His eldest son had originally followed Renly and now served Gendry, while his younger son Balon remained in King's Landing.
"If we broke through the wildfire formations, these men couldn't possibly stop us. But the casualties would be too high, and it wouldn't fit my strategic calculations."
"You mean to fight around King's Landing," Ser Barristan Selmy asked.
Gendry nodded. "I've laid a feast near King's Landing, but I don't know how many people will come to eat. So we still need to wait for news, from across the Narrow Sea and from Highgarden."
An apprentice maester also brought letters. He was a specialist in ravenry trained by Qyburn.
One letter came from Mace in Highgarden, who sounded brimming with enthusiasm. Gendry, however, paid more attention to the news of war and grew more impatient.
"Balon has crowned himself king. King of the Iron Islands," Gendry said. "If I'm not mistaken, he's attacking the North."
"Since Theon escaped home, Balon has become even more brazen," Jon said.
"That's why I told Robb to keep him under control, but he didn't quite manage it," Gendry said. The North was about to suffer. Fortunately, he had already reminded them to strengthen their coastal defenses and defend key locations, which would reduce the North's losses. King Balon's longships were enough to give Gendry's fleets a headache, even though they were a thousand miles away.
"But Balon-why wouldn't Balon attack Lannisport?" Anguy asked in puzzlement.
"Because he's afraid, and he isn't thinking straight," Gendry said. That madman Balon was hardly a normal person. He did not even treat his own son as a human being. He simply