"Iron Islands's fleet is said to have hundreds of longships, carrying at least thousands of Ironborn. We don't have enough guards left in the port!"
"Redwyne Fleet has been transferred to the east by the Duke, and Arbor's reinforcements can't catch up----"
"Why don't we just abandon the port area, shrink our troops, and only defend the triple wall of Highgarden?"
"What about the merchants and civilians?"
Yes, what about those businessmen and civilians?
Highgarden, which has gathered tens of thousands of people, originally had the hope of "becoming a real city". Tomorrow, if we really don't care about the life and death of the people outside the city - let alone upgrade it to a city, we can't even hope to attract more people with assets to settle -
Olenna slowly raised his eyes, scanned the chaotic crowd in the meeting hall, and tapped his crutch on the stone floor.
With a "click" sound, the meeting hall quickly became quiet again.
"Abandon the defense?"
A sarcastic smile appeared on her face, and her words were as sharp as a knife. "Our port is filled with supplies coming in and out of Highgarden, especially those expensive spices and medicinal materials, as well as residential settlements in the south, which are tens of thousands of House Tyrell's citizens ------
Do you plan to hand over these goods and these people to the Iron Islands bandits who only know how to plunder?
Let them take our golden dragon, burn down our houses, rob our people, and then feed their children with our food to raise a new generation of plunderers—huh?"
Everyone was stunned into silence, lowering their heads and not daring to say a word.
Everyone knows that this "Queen of Thorns" has always been mean and angry, much more cruel than her Duke's son who led an army to besiege Storm's End for a year without any success.
Ever since her son led the army to leave the Reach and pass through Stormlands to attack Storm's End, which had never fallen, Lady Olenna became the one giving orders to Highgarden - but it seemed like this was the case before her son left?
Highgarden's decision-making power is always in the hands of this old lady.
"Left hand." Olenna called softly.
The guard standing on her left immediately took a step forward, turned to face her master, and knelt down on one knee.
Olenna·Redwyne was accompanied by a pair of Li Sheng guards named Eric and Arik. Since the brothers were difficult to identify, she simply called them "left hand" and "right hand" to save the trouble of distinguishing them.
"Go and requisition all the merchant ships in the port area."
Olenna's voice was still calm, "Let the captains lower the sails, stow away the anchor chain, dock them all at the edge of the inner port, and then pile rocks, stones and other hard objects on top - and Tyrell's flower boat was also handled in the same way."
If anyone is dissatisfied, tell them that House Tyrell will compensate them for their losses when Column's Iron Fleet retreats.
Let the Smith people in the port area, including the city, build fire oil bombs overnight. The more quantity, the better. A wooden ship is always the most afraid of fire, and I believe Ironborn's long ship is no exception."
"Yes, ma'am."
He bowed with his left hand in response, stood up and left quickly.
"Right hand."
Olenna looked at the guard on the other side.
The situation is indeed critical, and she needs reliable enough manpower to go out to do things, even though this will cause the close guards around her to leave.
"Take the archers we can gather and station them behind the ship wall in the port area." Tell the archers that there is no need to save arrows. As long as they see Ironborn's longship approaching, they will light a fire and shoot to death.
Whether it's killing people or burning ships, as long as you make a contribution, your family will be rewarded heavily."
Olenna seemed to be hesitant, and after thinking for a while, he said, "In addition, you ask Highgarden's patrol team to give priority to the residents of the settlement - those businessmen and shopkeepers, and let them all move into the wall.
Tell them not to be reluctant to part with large items of property. Anyone who dares to hold back will be punished as collaborator Ironborn."
"Yes." The right hand also bowed to accept the order and strode out of the meeting hall.
After making these arrangements, Olenna looked at the knights of Highgarden again, and tapped the cane again.
"Don't be stunned. There's going to be a war, and you have to be more effective than an old woman like me. Now, go immediately to count the grain and weapons reserves in the wall, and organize soldiers to reinforce the city's defenses.
Arrows, kerosene - rolling stones? Whatever, I am Lady Olenna, not General Olenna, you should know more about these than me.
Sort out all the useful things for me, especially the archery tower and the city gate. You must guard them for me.
Highgarden is not a ship. Even I know that Ironborn is only good at climbing masts, but not at attacking difficulties. They can't break in, so why are you panicking?"
Lady Olenna has always been very stable. As she gave orders, everyone in the meeting hall immediately took action.
When the others were almost gone, Olenna·Redwyne, who had always been very stable, no longer had to pretend. They lost their superficial composure and finally lost their composure.
Shield Islands really disappointed her.
Even if you can't stop Ironborn who is good at fighting, it is still better to cause some damage to the opponent. It is better than having your own army wiped out and leaving the enemy with almost no damage and high morale to come and rob.
Bachelor Lomis, who has been serving Highgarden, confirmed in a low voice. "Madam, Paxter·Redwyne, is it really impossible to come back?
Arbor's Redwyne Fleet is one of the three strongest navies in the mainland. As long as they come back, or Arbor comes to support - the threat from Iron Fleet is not worth mentioning at all!"
Thinking that his "stupid son" had taken Arbor's maritime power to the east, Olenna's face darkened again.
"You think I haven't thought about it?"
She sighed, with a hint of helplessness in her tone.
"Your Duke insists on being motivated and transfers all the navy of the Redwyne family to Shipbreaker Bay to support his war in Stormlands.
They also euphemistically call it "attack with all our strength and win a quick victory", but what is the result? Storm's End has been besieged for almost a year and has not yet been defeated. Instead, we are suffering from the enemy.
Drinking water from afar can't quench the thirst nearby - by the time the fleet can return, the port area and Highgarden will have been emptied and burned by the Ironborns."
Bachelor Lomis looked disappointed, knowing not to count on Redwyne Fleet. According to Lady Olenna, Arbor in the south didn't have any warships left and was completely unable to provide assistance.
Lady Olenna was born House Redwyne in Arbor. She is the biological aunt of the current Arbor Earl Paxter Reid.
If she says it can't be done, that means it really can't be done, otherwise she can just write to her parents' family for help.
Lady Olenna ignored Bachelor Highgarden's little temptation. She stood up slowly, walked to the window with a cane, and looked at the green maze and triple wall in the garden.
"Although Highgarden is not proud of being a fortified city, it is not something Column can touch whenever he wants. Ironborn will have to pay the price if he wants to steal our things."
The sun shines through the window and shines on her body, making her silver hair glow with a faint golden light.
The seemingly old and frail "Queen of Thorns" waved and motioned for Bachelor Lomis to come over. "We can't control Stormlands's affairs. I have to defend Highgarden for House Tyrell first--- - Let Mace wipe his butt by himself---- You can send a letter to Goldengrove later and ask Sir Fertimo Clyne, who is staying east of Goldengrove, to lead his ten thousand men back as soon as possible.
We here need his help more than Stormlands."
Olenna·Redwyne is not sure whether she made a mistake with this instruction, but Highgarden is indeed in need of military support.
I only hope that Mace will quickly surrender with his more than 40,000 people and come back soon.
When the time comes, you will be compensated and punished. I just hope that Theon's appetite will be smaller.
Anyway, as long as she is here, this "The Golden Rose" rooted in the Reach will never be chopped off by the ax of Ironborn----
West.
Iron Fleet on the Mander River is heading towards Highgarden who is on alert throughout the city.
Commander Ti's "Star Shuttle Fleet" is also sailing on the Narrow Sea in the east of the mainland.
At the King's Landing port, the Starpike fleet, which had "captured" three new ships, did not dare to stay in the capital for a long time for fear of being captured.
The two captains Davos and Oswin drove a mixed combination of five warships and four merchant ships. They went south early and rested at Tarth, one of Starpike's old friends - Evenfall Hall Earl.
The speed of sea is faster than that of land.
Almost when the Southern Expeditionary Army launched Kingswood to welcome the northern nobles Stormlands to surrender, the small fleets of Davos, Oswin and others came to the side of Stormlands Shipbreaker Bay.
Titus The money spent was not in vain.
The Narrow Sea pirates that Davos contacted before, and the Iron Islands fellows that Oswin contacted, did not contribute when they attacked King's Landing last time, or in other words, Titus did not let them join in the fun.
This time, in order to solve the siege of Storm's End, they all came in handy------
Storm's End is one of Westeros's strongest fortress-type castles. It has been House Baratheon's home for two hundred and eighty-three years.
It was once the residence of the ancient Storm King, and it is said that some kind of protective spell was woven within its walls to prevent any magic from entering.
Although I don't know whether it is true or not, it is true that this castle has never been conquered, regardless of whether the attacker is a man or a god.
Storm's End Shipbreaker Bay in the east.
There were no dark clouds in the sky, and the sea seemed calm and calm--at least for the time being.
Shipbreaker Bay also has good temper sometimes.
Under the slightly gray sky, there were more than twenty warships with huge sails cruising near the bay.
The purple grape pattern of Arbor is painted on the sails of these battleships. They are Redwyne Fleet.
This fleet is a maritime force specially formed by Arbor's House Redwyne for the family's wine business and trade channels. It has always been known as one of the three most powerful fleets of Seven Kingdoms.
In the center of the fleet, a three-gun galley that was far larger than its class stood out.
It has a slender hull, with three huge burgundy sails hanging directly above it like clouds hanging from the sky. There are two hundred oars, painted in gold and white, extending neatly from both sides of the ship's side, like the feet of a centipede, looking gorgeous and dangerous.
This is the ship of Paxter·Redwyne Earl - "Qingting Queen".
As the great lord of Arbor, Redwyne's wealth and military power can rival the local duke family in any other realm.
Paxter is in the small chapel in the rear cabin. He is kneeling in front of the statue of Seven, clasping his hands and praying devoutly.
The silk robe embroidered with dark purple grape patterns was held up by Paxter's slightly fat body. His orange hair was messy, and his face had a hint of fatigue worn out by the war.
Thinking of my cousins, Lord of Highgarden Mace·Tyrell, Arbor Earl who is deeply immersed in the war game in the west of Storm's End, I feel very angry.
In the end, it turned into a sigh, "Oh, let's lower it earlier, Mace----"
Arbor Earl sighed, then muttered something.
What he prayed for was nothing more than two wishes:
First, I sincerely pray for Seven's blessing, and hope that no more storms will come to Shipbreaker Bay, at least not to affect his fleet.
Arbor's battleship is strong, but it cannot withstand the strong winds and waves in the evil bay here-
The weather changes here are really unpredictable----
Qing Pavilion Queen: