Gendry walked beside the Red Viper. Rumors about the Red Viper were countless, and Gendry knew a few of them. Master Qyburn had told him plenty more, for the Reach and the Dornish had never gotten along. Oberyn had indirectly crippled Highgarden's heir.
"I served as a sellsword myself! But that was many years ago," Oberyn said.
"When was that?" Gendry asked politely, with genuine interest.
"Many years ago. You know I'm not a man who can sit still. I studied at the Citadel and forged six links before I grew bored and dropped out. I also worked as a sellsword in the Disputed Lands, first with the Second Sons, then with a company of my own. But I never had your courage, Commander-in-Chief, to overturn the very foundations of the Disputed Lands." The Red Viper surveyed the Free Army's soldiers with interest. They had once been slaves, but now they were soldiers brimming with vigor.
"Circumstances leave us little choice, Prince! We would never have done this if we hadn't been driven to it," Gendry said.
"This truly is a fine place. When I was young, I also thought I had no equal in the world, but in the end, I never built anything of my own!"
"A chaotic place, too. The Myrmen like selling Myrish carpets and fireweed, but they don't like their slaves selling those same things."
"Chaos brings new life. Everything here seems to be flourishing. I rather like it. Long ago, one of my ancestors fled Essos for Dorne to escape slavery." The Red Viper spoke of the distant past.
Gendry knew whom Oberyn meant. It was the story of Queen Nymeria.
"You have a fine place here. If there weren't things in Westeros I couldn't let go of, I would certainly stay longer."
"I would also welcome a longer stay, Prince."
"I heard you smashed the Brave Companions, that pack of scum!" Oberyn asked.
"Yes, a band of criminals and villains. They were cunning, but fragile in the face of strength."
The two entered the Firepowder Herb Estate, then ascended to the top of the tower under an Unsullied escort. From there, they could see the entire estate.
"To cut a long story short, I want to discuss cooperation with the Fireweed King. This has nothing to do with Dorne and your fireweed kingdom. It concerns only the Red Viper and you."
"You're shrewd, Prince," Gendry complimented him. The Red Viper and Doran were two sides of the same coin. For all his outward recklessness, the Red Viper had ideas of his own. Even if he cooperated with Gendry, he would do so as an individual, without implicating Dorne.
"I once thought the Wolf Pack were the only reliable men under you. I never expected the Free Army to be so impressive," the Red Viper praised. "We could work together, in fact. I could use the support of a powerful force."
"I wonder whether you've heard of a murder, an utterly inhuman murder. It happened in King's Landing over a decade ago."
"...I certainly have," Gendry said thoughtfully. House Lannister's handiwork. Tywin kept a few vicious dogs, and when King's Landing fell, two of his mad dogs unleashed a frenzy of vengeance.
The Mountain and Amory Lorch had bloodied the Red Keep together. The Mountain burst into the Royal Household Nursery and smashed the head of Prince Rhaegar's infant son, Prince Aegon, against a wall, killing him. Before the child's blood and brains had dried, he raped and murdered Aegon's mother, Princess Elia. Amory dragged the screaming girl out from beneath her father Rhaegar's bed and stabbed her dozens of times until she died.
"I thirst for blood, but I've waited year after year!"
"And what do I gain? Prince, this game of revenge of yours is rather extreme," Gendry asked deliberately.
"What do you gain? You sly young man, danger hangs over you like storm clouds. The Three Daughters will never tolerate your little kingdom's expansion, and then there are the pirates. Don't you need allies, or a little support? Dorne may be narrow and arid, but our fine horses, spearmen, Summer Red, and spices are things a Commander-in-Chief can always use, I imagine."
"I certainly need them. In return, I have Myrish tapestries and fireweed. But offending a powerful man for your support is a difficult proposition."
"If the terms are right, perhaps we can help each other. I've waited a long time, and I'm in no hurry now. What else does the Commander-in-Chief want?"
"I want Myr, the Three Daughters, and all of Essos!" Gendry told the Red Viper. His tone did not sound like a lie.
"Ha ha ha ha!" The Red Viper burst out laughing. "A madman, a true madman! Perhaps only someone young and mad is fit to work with me. You sound very much like a man I once knew. He toppled a kingdom over a misguided love. Come to think of it, you really do have a few similarities! Unbreakable, and both fond of warhammers."
"Perhaps you're reading too much into it," Gendry said.
"Let's hope so! Fortunately, those children the lion bore the king... well, there's quite a lot one could say. Ha..."
"Why work with us?" Gendry asked.
"I considered many people, but in the end, every possibility vanished like smoke. The governors of the Three Daughters care only about profit. They're utterly unreliable. Perhaps, I thought, I could speak with a new partner."
"Thank the gods! I never received word that the Myrmen had wiped out the Wolf Pack." The Red Viper looked at Gendry. "You're strong enough to make cooperation look promising."
Chapter 42: Past and Future
In the Firepowder Herb Estate's training yard, the Red Viper and Gendry were both lightly equipped, wearing leather armor and wielding blunted weapons. The Red Viper wore the Dornish Sun-Piercer spear emblem, while Gendry wore Wolves Running.
The Red Viper spent his days at the Firepowder Herb Estate studying the organization of the Free Army and the Wolf Pack Company, and how this little kingdom operated.
"Watch yourself, Commander-in-Chief!" The Red Viper's spear truly moved like a venomous snake, thrusting one moment and withdrawing the next. It flickered high and low before Gendry like a serpent's forked tongue. The Red Viper blended feints with fierce attacks, combining speed and strength. He seemed to aim for the upper body, but his spear suddenly wheeled toward Gendry's groin and shield. He circled, jabbed, and swiftly withdrew.
The Red Viper took pride in his speed and cunning, but his opponent was no ordinary fighter. Gendry's heavy hammer was lightning-fast as well, and every blow carried precisely the right amount of force.
"Black hair, blue eyes, tall, and strong!" The Red Viper noticed Gendry's short, coal-black hair and deep blue eyes, and the fierce brutality that only grew as he fought. The sight felt strangely familiar. Yet he did not dwell on it. After all, even the lower classes could produce a bloodthirsty freak like the Mountain or a master like Duncan the Tall, though far less often than the noble lords.
"A fierce young fellow. I never expected him to be this troublesome. Why does his fighting style remind me of northerners and men from the Stormlands?" The finest warriors of the Stormlands and the North were known for their savage strength, and Gendry's fighting style belonged to that same tradition. Still, recalling the Wolf Pack Company's origins, the Red Viper thought he might simply be a northerner.
He certainly lives up to his reputation! Gendry thought. The Red Viper's standing as Dorne's greatest warrior was no empty boast. Gendry had sparred with Long Spear and Morningstar before, but in spear technique and combat experience, the Red Viper was clearly superior.
The Red Viper's spear darted left and right, appearing from unexpected angles. Though its point had been blunted, the force of its strikes still hurt badly. Yet Gendry's blood seemed to burn, surging like a raging storm.
The Red Viper kept stabbing at the oak shield until he pierced it. But before he could pull his spear free, Gendry's blunt-headed hammer came crashing toward him. The Red Viper hastily drew back, barely avoiding the attack. The blows he took were no pleasure, either. An immense power seemed hidden within the young man's frame, and every clash of weapons sent tremors and pain through him.
The Red Viper spun like an agile cat and charged his opponent. His spear seemed to come alive in his hands. In a sense, the mace's reach did impose a limitation; the spear was far fiercer and more vicious.
The Red Viper thrust toward Gendry's heart, but Gendry twisted aside despite the immense pain. With a roar, he forced himself clear of the spear shaft. Enduring the pain, he swung his hammer at the Red Viper.
"If you can bear that pain and still choose to attack, I'll have to raise my opinion of you another notch!" Watching Gendry's movement, the Red Viper swiftly swept his spear back, then leveled the pale weapon at him. He braced the shaft against Gendry's body, preventing the heavy hammer from falling. The Red Viper continued retreating, but he could have reversed the shaft to aim at Gendry's throat. Instead, he refrained from attacking, leaving the bout's outcome unresolved.
"I lost, Prince," Gendry said. On the surface, it was a draw, but the Red Viper possessed many weapons beyond his techniques: dark magic and poison. His mastery of those arts made him far more dangerous in combat than an ordinary knight.
"You didn't lose, boy! Your courage and strength are both exceptional. All you lack is more combat experience. After all, I've lived so many more years than you!" The Red Viper smiled. "The spear is the quickest and most vicious weapon, after all."
The spectators broke into applause: Steel Fist, Long Spear, and the Unsullied. They had just watched the Wolf Pack Company's Commander-in-Chief fight one of the greatest knights alive to a standstill.
"How long have you been training, Commander-in-Chief?" the Red Viper asked.
"A few years, perhaps," Gendry answered. In truth, it had not been many years, since he had spent the earlier ones forging iron. But his natural strength certainly served him well in a fight.
"Remarkable! Remarkable!" the Red Viper could not help praising him. "Talent like yours is truly rare." He also wondered about it. With such formidable skill, a son of an illustrious family should already have made a name for himself. Why would he need to seek a living across the Narrow Sea? Perhaps there was only one possibility left: he came from the lowest ranks of Westerosi society and had no chance to rise.
The Red Viper studied Gendry's frame, making a comparison in his mind. A little shorter, a little leaner. Judging by his strength, he certainly belongs to the heavy-hitting sort. This boy's power far exceeds his size. But because the Fireweed King is a little smaller, he has the speed to match. Given time, perhaps he could surpass both me and the Mountain.
"Your skills are excellent, Commander-in-Chief. I haven't enjoyed myself this much in a long time! If you don't find me a nuisance, I hope we can have a few more bouts."
"It would be my honor, Prince."
"In that case, it seems we really may be able to work together!"
"Then here's to our friendship in advance!"
The Red Viper and Gendry walked over the low hills of the Firepowder Herb Estate. After the fireweed harvest, a new crop had already been planted, covering the land in lush green.
"Walking beside a young Commander-in-Chief forces me to face the fact that I'm growing old!" Oberyn sighed.
"You're in the prime of your life, Prince. Why say that?"
"You needn't comfort me, Commander-in-Chief. There's already gray in my hair. The most painful thing isn't growing old, but knowing my wish remains unfulfilled!"
Naturally, Gendry knew the Red Viper's wish: to kill the Mountain, and to kill the man who had given the Mountain his orders. But that task was extraordinarily difficult, especially now that House Lannister's power stood at its zenith.
"People are always like that, bound by their desires," Gendry said.
"When I was young, I loved traveling. My happiest journey was when my mother, her man, my sister Elia, and I visited Casterly Rock together. My sister had been frail and sickly since childhood and rarely traveled, so everything was new to her. I was a monster as a boy. I mocked my sister's suitors. I should have cut out that poisonous tongue of mine!" The Red Viper looked forlorn. "After my sister died, I came to hate the boy I'd been."
"I've waited year after year, and there seems to be no end. All I feel is old age slowly creeping closer! Especially when I see an outstanding young man like you." The Red Viper complimented Gendry.
"May the Old and New Gods watch over you and let you fulfill your wish soon, Prince."
"Ha ha ha, I stopped believing in the Seven long ago. I believe only in myself. If the Seven truly existed, I should have been the eldest son, the one to avenge my sister, not Doran."
"By the way, won't you tell me something of your past, Commander-in-Chief?" the Red Viper asked.
"That all feels very distant. I had no father. I was a smith until I joined the Wolf Pack Company and trained under its instructors."
"So a hero can rise from Flea Bottom. Still, it's not without precedent. Take Duncan the Tall from the previous dynasty, for example."
"But all that is in the past. I only want to seize the present and make my wish come true!" Oberyn said thoughtfully. "What do I need? Perhaps a wild card. Doran has told me many times that the unexpected will come in the future, but I've waited so long, and nothing has ever come of it."
"Now it seems you're that wild card!" Oberyn, the Red Viper, looked at Gendry with burning eyes.
Chapter 43: A Feint and Plans for the Stepstones
The Red Viper left as quickly as he had arrived. Given his unusual status, this visit to the Firepowder Herb Estate had been secret, and their agreement to cooperate was entirely verbal: maintain friendly relations and continue trading.
During his stay at the Firepowder Herb Estate, the Red Viper sparred with Gendry many times. Facing one of the finest fighters in the Seven Kingdoms helped Gendry improve even faster.
The Red Viper is treating me as a lesser version of the Mountain! The Red Viper always used a spear against Gendry, and Gendry understood his intent. His imagined opponent was chiefly Tywin's mad dog, the Mountain, an eight-foot mountain of flesh. Against such an enormous human bulwark, a spear was more flexible and safer than a greatsword.
What a complicated man! Gendry thought. The Red Viper was also one of Westeros's most talked-about figures. Rumors about his tourneys, wars, duels, mounts, and even sexual preferences were countless... People said he slept with both men and women, and that his bastard daughters could be found throughout Dorne. Those girls were called the "Sand Snakes."
"What do you think of the Red Viper?" Gendry asked Master Qyburn.
"In terms of ability, he's exceptional. Unfortunately, Dorne's resources are too limited, and it has no place in the new dynasty," Qyburn replied. Dorne's climate was harsh, and its population was among the smallest in the Seven Kingdoms. In population and wealth, the Reach and the Westerlands came first. Unfortunately, both were enemies of the Dornish. Next came the Vale and the Riverlands, followed by the Stormlands, the North, and Dorne.
"They have little strength and great ambitions. Those brothers have a difficult task. Dorne sent troops to support the Mad King, only to suffer a crushing defeat. That was a tremendous loss for Dorne," Gendry said with feeling. The Dornish were isolated and friendless. Stubbornly throwing the weakest power against the Fish-Wolf-Lion-Falcon-Stag Alliance would be little better than suicide, which was why Doran and the Red Viper planned so cautiously.
"You don't know the story of those days, Your Highness!" Qyburn considered for a moment. "During the War of the Usurper, Dorne hesitated as well. Its military strength was relatively weak, after all. But the Mad King held Prince Lewyn's niece, Princess Elia, hostage and ordered him to lead ten thousand Dornish warriors to join Prince Rhaegar's forces. Prince Lewyn died in the war, too. The Dornish swallowed their anger and shed their blood for House Targaryen."
"Poor souls!" Gendry thought of that war. The Silver Prince's misguided love had sounded the death knell for many people across the Seven Kingdoms. House Martell had been dragged into disaster by the Mad King and his son through no fault of its own.
Injustice and ambition are the sources of war! Gendry thought. Westeros's troubles lay in its divisions and grievances, in the many lords who believed they had been treated unfairly. The Second Stag's and Third Stag's grievances, House Tyrell's grievances, House Martell's grievances. Then there were scum like the Spider and Littlefinger, lurking behind the scenes and fanning the flames. He needed to build his strength rather than rush into the turmoil.
"I think Doran and the Red Viper are two sides of the same coin. There are plenty of rumors about the Red Viper. He seems fierce and fiery on the surface, but he still obeys the cautious Doran," Gendry analyzed.
"He must be exhausted!" Gendry suddenly felt how painful it must be for the Red Viper. For a man so proud and resolute, having to postpone his revenge day after day because of Dorne's limited strength and his brother's orders was a torment in itself.
Doran's plans were far-reaching, but their inherent weaknesses meant most eventually came to nothing. It was not just that his pawns each had minds of their own; Dorne itself had fundamental disadvantages. It was a harsh, impoverished land, and the War of the Usurper had already dealt it a grievous blow.
"That's why the Red Viper wants to contact us and break the deadlock! He's been suppressing his anger, year after year," Qyburn said. "The Dornish need troops. They have few friends in Westeros, and across the Narrow Sea in the Three Daughters, those merchants have neither the armies nor the courage to get involved."
"We should seize this opportunity. The Red Viper's friendship is a double-edged sword." Gendry thought for a moment. "Let's see how much help he can provide! Dorne Horse, spices, spearmen—I need them all. What I want most are Dorne Horse. Their endurance is extraordinary, perfect for swift advances by light cavalry." The Disputed Lands were flat and had a pleasant climate, ideal for cavalry to race across.
"Dorne Horse are a renowned breed! But judging by Prince Oberyn's intentions, he's cautious and won't sell us large numbers. After all, Dorne has good relations with the Three Daughters, too. Many of their governors' children play in the Water Gardens."
"I think caution has become a habit with them," Gendry said thoughtfully.
"But if the Red Viper guesses your identity, Your Highness!" Qyburn hesitated. Beneath the surface, the two sides were sworn enemies.
"Circumstances don't stay the same forever. Even if we wanted it now, House Martell wouldn't dare rebel openly. This is only cooperation. Even if that day comes, it would simply mean an alliance or bargaining. I don't think the Red Viper wants to make more enemies for House Martell." House Lannister was the chief object of Dornish hatred, leaving Gendry room to maneuver. And the brothers Doran and Oberyn certainly knew how to endure. Had an opportunity not come later with a major change in circumstances, they might have kept lying low.
"That works as well. Now isn't the time for us to intervene in Westeros."
"Our focus remains the Disputed Lands and the Stepstones!"
"We must take the fight beyond our borders and make the Wolf Pack's name known, so Oberyn and the oppressed slaves reassess our worth." Gendry's eyes burned. The more capable the Wolf Pack and the Free Army proved in battle, the more investment they could attract.
"Spread the word that we're joining forces with the Cat Company to sack Myr!" Gendry said. "Have the Free Army make a few more appearances along the border and frighten those Myrish slavers."
"Our real target is the Stepstones?" Qyburn understood Gendry's meaning. They would create a false threat, while their actual move would be against the Stepstones.
The Myrmen now lived in constant fear. Militarily, their navy was decent, but their land forces relied on Free Mercenary and adventurers and had always been weak. The Wolf Pack's offensive struck with the speed of thunder. The Myrmen wanted to hire the Golden Company, but for a war of this scale, the price it demanded was astronomical. Besides, the Golden Company would only defend, not advance. Sellswords knew how to preserve their strength, too.
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