GOT/ASOIAF: Ruler Beyond The Ice

Chapter 613 - 615: Offering Treasures (Part 1)

The team fight could be lost, but Euron had to die.

This was the core strategy Aegor presented to Daenerys for the Battle of Blackwater Bay.

The sudden appearance of the Iron Fleet during the voyage truly disrupted Daenerys's rhythm and plan to attack King's Landing. Even Aegor, who had planned everything, had not expected a group of pirates to appear outside Blackwater Bay as if they had been waiting there for a long time, becoming Stannis's lifeline, especially with such backward means of communication.

He had not brought the Northern fleet from White Harbor, nor the improved anti-ship Wildfire bombs from Ice Canyon Port that were nearing completion, to the South. Without reinforcements or trump cards, how to break this stalemate truly troubled this fake general, who was used to fighting unequal battles and relying on advantages.

But as had happened countless times before when he reached a dead end, after resting and waking up, his blocked thoughts suddenly cleared.

From the beginning, everyone had been misled by Daenerys.

She wanted to win both the naval battle at Blackwater Bay and the siege of King's Landing at the same time, while minimizing casualties. But what if that was simply impossible? Did he have to force himself to find a solution for her regardless?

He supported Daenerys. His goal was to place her on the Iron Throne, gain status and benefits through her, and fulfill his ambitions. He was not her father, meant to satisfy all her wishes and indulge her without restraint.

The solution had always been in his mind. It could be summarized in one phrase, and he had just used it in the North.

Surround the point, attack the reinforcements.

Strategy is rigid, but people are flexible.

King's Landing was there. Capturing it a day later would not make it vanish. On the contrary, since Euron had decided to oppose Daenerys, even if he had not arrived at the right time this time, he would sooner or later sail around to harass the reborn Targaryen dynasty. Most likely, after the Gift Army captured the Seven Kingdoms and redeployed, he would advance southwest to deal with the Riverlands.

Rather than chasing him later like a cat hunting a mouse, it was better to eliminate this future threat now that he had delivered himself.

After persuading Daenerys in their second discussion to abandon the naive idea of fighting on two fronts at once, their room for maneuver expanded, and the cards in their hands suddenly became abundant.

First, the Unsullied and the Gift Army's artillery secretly withdrew from the siege lines during the night.

With the Dornish army openly joining Daenerys's forces, the number of troops outside King's Landing was already sufficient. Unless Stannis led his army out of the city for a decisive battle, it was impossible to distinguish between thirty-five thousand and thirty thousand soldiers from the city walls with a telescope.

At the same time, the Dragonstone fleet was summoned from the distant mouth of Blackwater Bay to the port of Duskendale, a little over a day's journey from King's Landing.

On the surface, they seemed to give up control of the sea. In reality, at the new fleet base, elite forces were secretly transferred there and packed onto the ships, temporarily boosting Daenerys's naval strength from an armed flotilla to a grand navy, at least in terms of tonnage and personnel.

Finally, several thousand catties of freshly mixed Powder were transported to the port by animal carts and loaded onto the Invincible Iron Bell, filling its most spacious and safest central hold. It became the first suicide warship in this world, providing the material preparation for Asha Greyjoy's desperate surprise attack.

Naval battles differ from land battles. Morale and numbers are not as decisive. Hardware, experience, and correct command are the key factors. It was entirely possible for a massive ship filled with high-spirited knights to be sunk by a few nimble and experienced longships. To exploit the enemy's weaknesses and avoid their strengths, Daenerys's fleet made targeted arrangements for this battle. The core could be summarized in two points. First, use the presence of artillery to extinguish the enemy's idea of a war of attrition. Second, use half the fleet filled with Unsullied to pin down Stannis's royal navy, deliberately exposing a weakness to lure the Iron Fleet into attacking in full force.

It sounded simple, but the plan carried enormous risks.

If any link failed or did not develop as expected, for example if the royal fleet proved stronger than anticipated, if the suicide ship was sunk or destroyed by ballistae halfway through its charge, or if Euron was cautious and refused to lead the assault, any of these could cause the battle to collapse into a major defeat. Their side would not only lose the Unsullied and artillery, their two trump cards, but would also face emboldened enemies and fence-sitters whose confidence to resist would be reignited.

The danger of this gamble was so great that even Aegor was mentally prepared for failure. That was why he presented the plan to Daenerys through Asha, without personally recommending it, guaranteeing it, or issuing a military pledge. Given Daenerys's character, she would choose to take the risk regardless.

This move protected him, but it also slightly reduced the credit he would receive if the gamble succeeded. Fortunately, he already had considerable military merit and would have many opportunities in the future. Losing a little did not matter.

There were no celebrations or victory feasts. In the siege camp outside the high walls of King's Landing, the atmosphere was busy and solemn.

The fact that the siege forces had not launched a full assault on King's Landing while the great naval battle raged in Blackwater Bay the previous day must have made Stannis feel thoroughly toyed with. But tomorrow, when the Unsullied and artillery that had transferred to the navy returned to the siege lines, whether it was windy, snowing, or raining knives from the sky, it would be the last day of House Baratheon.

Everyone tightened their nerves, making final preparations.

Aegor was responsible for commanding the western front, the assault on three of King's Landing's seven gates, the Gods Gate, the Lion Gate, and the King's Gate, as well as the two wall sections between them. All planning and deployment were complete. Only a final review and confirmation remained before he could rest and quietly await the dawn battle.

"My lord, Asha Greyjoy is outside the fort and requests an audience."

What did she want now?

To claim credit? Wrong person.

To express gratitude? Could she not choose a better time?

"Let her in. Arrange food and lodging for her, and tell her I will see her after King's Landing is taken."

Aegor was busy. He was a pragmatist. This woman might have insight into naval warfare and talent, but he did not believe she could help with tomorrow's general assault on King's Landing. Yet after being refused once, she still came to the Lord Commander's quarters moments later, insisting on seeing him.

After some delay, and considering that she had indeed risked her life to remove a major threat for him, Aegor finally relented.

"Lord Commander, please forgive my late-night intrusion. The journey from Rosby was long, and the roads were muddy after the snow melted."

Asha entered carrying a burlap sack, opening with an apology.

"It is good that you know you are intruding. It is late. Speak plainly."

She called herself a subordinate, clearly trying to draw closer. Given her status as the second female member of the Night's Watch, it was not inappropriate. Since she acknowledged the superior-subordinate relationship, Aegor's tone became less polite, though not cold or impatient. She had just rendered great service.

"A piece of war booty. This subordinate believes only you, my lord, are qualified to possess it, and it is best delivered before the assault on King's Landing begins. That is why I hurried here from the coast." As she spoke, she lifted the cloth sack and turned it upside down.

The object hit the ground with a crisp metallic sound.

The guards had surely inspected the contents before she entered. Aegor sat quietly, waiting for an explanation. It was Melisandre, sitting by the fireplace and fulfilling her duty as a mage guard, who turned her head and exclaimed, "Dragonsteel armor?"

Though it was only a single word, Aegor's brows rose at once.

It was the Valyrian steel armor Euron had worn. Melisandre called it dragonsteel, which indicated it was likely forged from genuine Valyrian steel once used by the dragonlords of the Valyrian Empire, not a lesser piece meant to deceive wealthy nobles.

Such a suit of dragonsteel armor, even at the height of the Valyrian Empire, was a treasure only a few powerful families could possess. Its value was enough to buy a small kingdom. After the Doom, it became a priceless legend recorded only in books. Before Euron appeared wearing it, no one had even heard rumors of such armor.

Now it lay quietly on the floor before his desk, and from Asha's tone, she intended to give it to him.

Asha did not answer Melisandre. She discarded the burlap sack and picked up the fallen item with both hands. It was scale armor, black as ink in the dim light, yet faintly shimmering with golden edges.

Aegor's expression remained calm, but his heart was not. He stepped around the desk. Melisandre approached as well, and together they examined the treasure.

The Night's Watch also wore black, but this scale armor was different. Its color was so deep it seemed to swallow light. If not for the faint reddish-gold gleam along the edges of each scale and the visible patterns and symbols engraved upon it, from a distance it might seem like a piece cut from the darkness itself. Melisandre reached out to touch it, and Asha handed it to her without hesitation.

"This is more than dragonsteel armor," Melisandre said, holding it in one hand while tracing the runes with the other. Surprise filled her eyes. "Several protective spells have been permanently affixed to it in an extraordinary way. It resists blades and spears, and it can shield against common curse magic, so long as the wearer possesses magic. Is this the only piece? Where are the helmet, mask, gloves, and greaves?"

"I do not know. I never saw Euron wear the rest. Most likely, he never obtained them. It is good enough to have this. Your expectations are too high." Asha rolled her eyes, took the armor back, and handed it to Aegor with undisguised pride.

It was so light.

That was Aegor's first thought. Though it sounded unworthy of such treasure, he knew nothing of magic and could only judge its physical properties. The armor covered the torso and arms, yet weighed less than ten catties in total. He could lift it with a single finger. Compared to his own steel breastplate, it was nearly weightless, yet its protection was incomparable. Light and sturdy, it was a blessing for someone like him who wished he never had to remove his armor, even while sleeping.

Melisandre's reaction was understandable. If a full set could be assembled, would not the wearer be impervious to blades and magic alike?

If he had possessed this armor before the great war against the Others, the number of Lightbringers might not have been seventy-seven, but seven hundred seventy-seven.

Shaking off the thought, Aegor frowned.

"The report I read this morning said you drowned Euron by sinking him into the sea. Was the battle report wrong, or did you retrieve his body from Blackwater Bay?"

(To be continued.)

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