"Ser Jorah is a clever man. Having him lead the assault on the Black City was a sound decision," Maester Qyburn said. Had the furious freed slaves of Tyrosh stormed the Black City instead, they would surely have unleashed a frenzy of slaughter and revenge.
"I've heard his story too. That knight really is a hopeless romantic. A northerner taking up with a woman from the Reach always seems rather odd. He should have married a northern woman. Then he wouldn't have ended up in such a sorry state," Handsome Man remarked.
"He loved so deeply that it left him covered in wounds." Gendry reckoned Jorah could claim to be the most "devoted" man in Westeros. But Jorah was no longer down on his luck. He had a new life now.
In truth, Gendry thought the Red Viper would be better suited to talking some sense into Jorah. The Red Viper was an old hand at romance, after all, while Jorah was merely a lovesick sufferer.
"Once Tyrosh is pacified, we'll need to reorganize all our forces." Gendry gazed at the clamorous Black City of Tyrosh. The Tyroshi banners on its high walls were beginning to be thrown down.
"A standing army!" Handsome Man perked up too. His sword hand was effectively ruined, and its recovery had been poor. These days, he served more as an adviser. With the Twin Cities Alliance's wealth and manpower, they certainly had the resources to establish a standing army.
Gendry had been considering this for some time. Tyrosh and Myr were exposed to threats on every side. Apart from feeble Pentos, there were the Dothraki to the east, Lys and Volantis to the south, and Westeros to the west. All of that made it necessary to consolidate their forces and maintain a standing army.
Gendry's plan was to form one legion from the Wolf Pack, another from the freed slaves, and a third built around the Second Sons. As for the Dothraki Screaming Warriors, those horsemen would serve as auxiliaries and a force for surprise attacks.
Gendry also wanted to establish an Unsullied legion, but Slaver's Bay was far too distant for taking them by force to be feasible. If he wanted an Unsullied army without paying for it, he would have to wait until the Magic Dragons hatched, then head to Slaver's Bay and get them for free.
"Lys and Volantis are brewing a storm. We need to be ready," Long Spear said. "And there's the other side of the Narrow Sea, if those lords decide to go to war with us."
"Besides legions, we also need corresponding military ranks," Gendry added. He had no intention of using Westeros's system of landed lords. A standing army would tie rank to pay. Once he had built up his forces, he would have the strength to face these enemies.
Many mercenary companies, and even great houses, already had military ranks, but their systems were incomplete. Admiral was more of an honorary office. The Golden Company, for instance, had the rank of noncommissioned officer as a senior rank, while soldier was the ordinary rank. Gendry intended to establish a regular path from soldier to sergeant, junior officer, senior officer, and finally general, largely disregarding family background.
Maester Qyburn added, "In the Seven Kingdoms, only House Lannister of the Westerlands has both the money and the ability to organize a standing army. And that house is also one of our potential enemies."
Given the state of the Seven Kingdoms, that was indeed true. The Reach and the Westerlands were the wealthiest regions. Furthermore, years ago, Tywin had crushed the Reyne-Tarbeck rebellion and centralized power. The Reach had the largest population, but compared with the Westerlands, it was loosely organized.
The Westerlands had no particularly powerful lesser lords, and Tywin had eliminated any who showed signs of becoming one. That had allowed House Lannister to consolidate its power in one stroke. With its great prestige and few rivals, House Lannister stood head and shoulders above the other great lords.
"How well do the Lannister armies fight?" Long Spear asked Qyburn. "Long ago, during the Dance of the Dragons, they were defeated by the Winter Wolves."
"Oh, come on, brother. More than a century is enough to widen the gap in population and equipment between the North and the Westerlands," Handsome Man said. The Westerlands had far greater resources than the other regions.
"Wealthy and well trained. Lord Tywin rules Casterly Rock now, and he is both ruthless and unyielding. When war comes, the Westerlands can muster at least thirty thousand men. Its elite forces alone number ten thousand knights and fifteen thousand infantry, including at least five thousand heavy cavalry," Maester Qyburn said.
Once our army is formed, we'll have a chance to face this lion, Gendry thought. His feud with House Lannister had two sides: his own grievances and those of the old Royalists. Neither could be reconciled.
For the moment, however, their conflict was secondary at most. With old Jon's death, Gendry would be far from the only thing giving the Lannisters a headache.
"Have there been any secret letters from Lord Stannis?" Gendry asked Qyburn.
"No news for the moment," Maester Qyburn replied.
Gendry was unimpressed. Stannis had no support anywhere. Did he really intend to remain trapped on Dragonstone? Unless that cheat of a Red Priestess appeared, Stannis would quite simply be waiting to die.
A short while later, Ser Jorah returned with his troops.
"Tyrosh has submitted, Commander-in-Chief," Jorah said.
"What about the Archon of Tyrosh?" Gendry asked. "And those on the list of traitors?"
"The Archon was poisoned for his recklessness and stubbornness. As for those on the list, apart from the ones killed in battle, the rest are being rounded up."
"And the high priest of the Temple of the Three-Headed God?"
"The soldiers have escorted the high priest back to his temple. He is quite calm now."
"I told you we would meet again." In the crowd, Gendry spotted a despondent Aquad. He looked haggard after spending so long in Tyrosh's dungeons.
"I regret my poor judgment. I suffered humiliation twice over," Aquad said shamefacedly. After he returned, the Archon of Tyrosh and the pro-war governors had indeed made him pay.
"Enough. Tidy up that unruly hair and swear yourself to my service."
"Commander-in-Chief, this knight fought bravely. He killed several of the Tyroshi garrison's best fighters in succession," Jorah said, recommending another man to Gendry.
Gendry studied the knight before him. He had an ordinary face, grey hair, a flattened nose, and a square jaw. His build was broad and powerful.
"Rosso Brune, Commander-in-Chief," Rosso introduced himself.
"A fine man," Gendry praised him. He had some recollection of this fellow. This was Apple Eater, who would later distinguish himself. Though not especially famous, he was a skilled fighter.
Chapter 86: The currents of the age
There was a round table in the gardens of the Archon of Tyrosh's estate. Almost all the Twin Cities Alliance's senior figures were gathered there.
The table was laden with all manner of fruit from Highgarden, Tyrosh, and Myr.
Gendry, Qyburn, Handsome Man, Arrow Maker, Long Spear, Steel Fist, Grey Wolf, Jorah, Harris of the Narrow Sea Fleet, Moloz of the Myr Fleet, and the others had all assembled.
Tyrosh and Myr had been pacified. Stability came first: tending to the people and establishing institutions. Gendry had no plans for large-scale expansion. Whether against Lys or across the Narrow Sea, a fleet's attack would throw the entire situation into chaos.
"Try these!" Gendry told them. "The fruit from Highgarden's fields is delicious. Melons, peaches, and fire plums."
"Thanks to the long summer for giving us so much fruit," Handsome Man said. "Since leaving the North, the Wolf Pack has almost forgotten what winter feels like."
"You'll feel winter again," Qyburn said thoughtfully. "This long summer began in 289 AC and has yet to end. It may be the longest in living memory. Many say this summer heralds an eternal summer, with no cold winters ever again. But according to what I once studied, long summers and long winters balance one another. I hope I'm wrong, so Westeros won't have to face the harshest winter of all."
"Even if there is a long winter, surely its effect on Essos will be negligible," Moloz, one of the Myrmen, added.
Westeros suffered most from the climate because its northern end stretched deep into the Lands of Always Winter, with no end in sight. To the east, the northernmost edge of Essos lay only at roughly the same latitude as the Neck, so it was less affected by the changing seasons.
"Commander, that was true before, but a winter lasting more than ten years would affect Essos as well." Summer was still continuing, but they also had to watch for the approach of a long winter.
"Whatever happens, stockpiling food and supplies is the best way to prepare for the future."
"You'll oversee that, Treasurer."
"Yes, Commander-in-Chief," Handsome Man replied.
The most terrifying prospect was the Eternal Night, yet people remained absorbed in the game of power, with no time to heed the signs of winter and the Long Night. The White Walkers had awakened, while the Night's Watch was as depleted as a candle guttering in the wind.
The currents of the age are sweeping toward us. What I need is to turn them to my advantage and find my place in this new era, Gendry thought. Food, soldiers, commanders-those were the answers to the whole problem. Gendry had to make every preparation for the terrifying Eternal Night he had yet to witness.
There were three great currents shaping the age. The first was the Magic Tide. The Long Night was slowly approaching, and there was no avoiding it. The White Walkers were awakening. If the Magic Dragons returned in the future, the shadow of magic would loom even larger.
The second was the struggle for power in Westeros, born of House Baratheon's shaky foundations. King Robert had no decisive weapon like dragons. Holding such a loose alliance of power together had always been fraught with difficulty.
The third was the movement to free the slaves. It was a difficult and perilous path, but also a great one.
"Commander-in-Chief, I will now explain the latest developments to everyone," Maester Qyburn said, rising. "First, Pentos and Braavos. Pentos is relatively weak, while Braavos seems to have remained aloof throughout. That is probably because the old Sealord is frail and ill. My spies will continue to keep watch."
Gendry had expected Braavos's stance. In this tumultuous age, Braavos really did seem to be sitting idle. Perhaps it was because the old Sealord was dying of illness. Perhaps Braavos was quietly making money; chaos in the other city-states served its interests best.
"Then there are our restless neighbors. The Lyseni are stirring, but theirs is a single city-state, hardly worth mentioning."
"Lys has decent sailors, but little in the way of land forces. You can't wage war with Pleasure Gardens and those boys and girls. The Lyseni can only rely on mercenaries, and mercenaries alone wouldn't dare trouble us," Moloz said confidently.
"The Lyseni lack the courage. They have already sent a considerable amount of gold to Volantis," Qyburn informed them.
Everyone was most wary of Volantis. Though it had declined, its population could not be underestimated. It had once been foremost among the Free Cities. More importantly, the situation of its slaves was even worse. Slaves outnumbered citizens five to one. Under those circumstances, Volantis would regard Gendry's formation of the Twin Cities Alliance and liberation of slaves as a major threat.
"In Volantis, the Elephant Party still holds the majority among the Archons. The current Archons remain Malaquo Maegyr of the Tiger Party, Naeiso Vissama of the Elephant Party, and Dofas Pennymen of the Elephant Party."
"As the Tiger Party's Archon, Malaquo has always advocated attacking us," Handsome Man observed. "What about the other two?"
"Naeiso earned much of his fortune through the slave trade. Though he belongs to the Elephant Party, he will also attack us. The only one with a clear head is Dofas. He opposes using force against us. But if Dofas fails to win reelection, next year the Archons of Volantis will agree to attack."
"Volantis is strong. It is a formidable enemy," Jorah said. Having traveled throughout Essos, he was something of a walking encyclopedia. "Volantis has a standing army, the Tiger Cloaks, as well as the Volantis Grand Fleet. Though it has declined, its population remains substantial."
"My lords, I've heard Volantis is one of the cities with the most slaves. The Tiger Cloaks are slave soldiers, marked by green stripes tattooed on their cheeks. The Volantis Grand Fleet also has many slave sailors. If we grant those slaves their freedom, the Volantenes will soon learn a harsh lesson," Grey Wolf suggested.
"War between us and Volantis is inevitable, but for now, we must keep Volantis in check," Gendry said. He had confidence in his army, but a rushed war would drain the people's strength too severely. They needed time to recuperate before they could fight under better conditions.
"We'll fabricate battle reports: Dothraki attacks on Volantis's tributary towns or on us, or our fleet landing in Westeros. In short, we need a mix of true and false reports to delay Volantis's actions." Qyburn had his own approach to dealing with Volantis. Another option was bribery.
Tyrosh and Lys had both supplied gold to encourage the Volantenes to send troops. Perhaps they, too, could use spies to interfere more effectively in Volantis's affairs.
"And there are the Dothraki. We must establish enough watch posts to guard against the sudden appearance of the Horsemen," the commander of the Long Spear Company said.
Khal Zhako's fall near Myr might keep the khals in line for a while, but they could still provoke new conflicts.
Next came the most important and prestigious appointments, involving the deployment of the army.
"The Wolf Pack Legion will be commanded by Long Spear and Steel Fist, with heavy cavalry and heavy infantry forming its core."
"The Free Legion will be commanded by Grey Wolf, assisted by the commander of the Long Spear Company. Its core will be light infantry, supported by light cavalry."
"The Second Sons Legion will be commanded by Brown Ben, assisted by Ser Jorah. It will be responsible for organizing newly joined mercenaries, second sons, landless nobles, and adventurers."
"The Narrow Sea Fleet will be commanded by Harris, responsible for the Narrow Sea and the Stepstones."
"The Wolf Pack Fleet will be commanded by Moloz, responsible for the waters around Tyrosh and Myr."
Chapter 87: Spies
The sun shone brightly over the courtyard in Tyrosh that morning, with an occasional cool breeze. Gendry was already sweating on the training grounds.
Gendry moved with astonishing speed, his longsword flashing in a dazzling blur. His opponent, Rosso Brune, defended calmly. The sound of slashing swords rang through the air as steel struck steel. The Unsullied guards stood beside the training grounds, watching the heated bout.
Gendry's deep blue eyes stayed fixed on his opponent, tracking Rosso's movements. There were no horns, no pounding hooves-only a contest of strength and skill between two men. Gendry was not merely fast; his sword also carried tremendous force. He favored heavy chopping blows, and his blunted sword was heavier than most.
Rosso had a flattened nose, a square jaw, and flat grey hair. He was neither handsome nor ugly. An ordinary-looking, loyal warrior, he could turn his unremarkable appearance to his advantage.
Clang! Clang! A short while later, Rosso was knocked to the ground and conceded defeat. He was a calm, taciturn man who rarely spoke, but he was immensely strong. Though Rosso said little, he must have endured many hardships to hone his fighting skills.
Gendry helped Rosso up from the ground, his arms aching. Rosso was overwhelmed by the favor. Being valued and respected meant a great deal to him.
Praise from a tall, handsome, ever-victorious man of power was enough to win Rosso's service. He felt that the Commander-in-Chief possessed a mysterious charm, a shivering current of the will to power.
"You are truly a man sheltered by the gods, blessed with both strength and character." It was rare indeed for an honest man like Rosso to offer flattery.
"All right, Rosso. Your tongue is as sharp as your sword now," Gendry teased him.
"I'm appointing you a major in the Household Guard, though it hasn't been publicly announced yet," Gendry told Rosso.
Besides the First "Wolf Pack" Legion, the Second "Free" Legion, and the Third "Second Sons" Legion, there was the Guard Legion: Gendry's personal retinue and elite bodyguard.
Rosso had some understanding of Gendry's new Standing Army system. Soldier, sergeant, junior officer, senior officer, general officer-each level was harder to reach than the last. This system of pay differed from Westeros's method of mobilizing lords and knights.
Under Gendry's framework, rank meant both compensation and status in Myr and Tyrosh. As a newcomer, Rosso was still very pleased with his rank in the Household Guard.
"This is truly an honor!" Rosso said. After spending some time there, he had grown very fond of life in Tyrosh. Warriors had more in common with fellow warriors.
Gendry knew his story. Though Rosso had become a knight, he came from an exceedingly humble background. He was a distant relative of House Brune of Brown Hollow Mountain, an ancient knightly house on Crackclaw Point. "After my father died, I went to seek shelter with the main family," Rosso revealed. "They threw dung at me and said we weren't their kin."
"Rosso, do you know anyone well on Crackclaw Point?"
"Not many," Rosso answered awkwardly. His origins were so humble that no one on Crackclaw Point had paid him any attention, and he had little personal appeal there. In truth, Crackclaw Point held painful memories for him.
"But with Princess Daenerys in your hands, you have a chance to gain a foothold on Crackclaw Point." Rosso astutely grasped what Gendry wanted. "And Crackclaw Point is not far from King's Landing. It's also easy to defend and hard to attack."
"Crackclaw Point." Gendry did indeed have designs on the place. People in King's Landing called it a home for savages and country bumpkins. Every shadowed valley on the peninsula had its own lord, and neither those lords nor their subjects trusted outsiders. Ever since Queen Visenya had won their submission, they had remained staunchly loyal to the Dragon Kings.
At the Battle of the Trident, the great houses of the peninsula had fought beside Prince Rhaegar to the very end. The locals proudly declared that everyone on Crackclaw Point was a model subject of House Targaryen.
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