Viserys Targaryen and Oberyn Martell, the true dragon and The Red Viper, faced each other across the river.
Oberyn reined in his horse alone amidst the wild reeds, appearing abruptly. As the riverbank was not particularly wide, the two men could see each other clearly.
Viserys raised an eyebrow slightly. This was typical of his Dornish friend; always late.
But Viserys felt awkward criticizing too much. Back then, Dorne, despite its meager population, had gone all-in, deploying over ten thousand Dornish spearmen for the war, which was already a gesture of utmost loyalty.
The Dornish fighting style relied on light cavalry harassment and flanking attacks, utilizing the high temperatures and home advantage for guerrilla warfare.
Making the Dornish clash head-on with regular knights on a wide plain was fighting against the meta, essentially no different from suicide.
The defeat at the Battle of Trident River had severely weakened Dorne, causing Doran to become a cautious, defeatist strategist, wary of every move.
Furthermore, for Rhaenys's sake, hospitality must still be offered.
As for the alliance requiring him to marry Arianne Martell, Viserys was completely indifferent. Although Arianne possessed considerable beauty, her lifestyle habits were somewhat unrestrained.
Viserys did not particularly like this personality. Moreover, Viserys was drawn to beauty, and the women he had previously associated with were all stunning beauties.
Not to mention Black Pearl, the next tier down included Moonshadow, Daughter of Darkness, and Nightingale.
Arianne's looks were slightly inferior, and she was too short.
Regarding the alliance with Dorne, the two parties were already bound by blood, so adding a marriage alliance was unnecessary, especially since Rhaenys was involved.
The Red Viper was tall, slender, and elegant, seemingly merging into one entity with his mount.
The front of his high, gilded helmet was adorned with a bronze sun, and a round shield hung behind his horse, its polished surface emblazoned with the Martell sigil of a golden spear piercing the sun.
The Red Viper's horse also carried bundles of Dornish throwing spears and a Dornish double-curved bow for mounted use.
The Red Viper also spotted the handsome youth wearing a straw hat. Viserys was equally tall and agile, with silver hair and purple eyes, possessing a beauty that seemed inhuman.
His black tunic was embroidered with a large red three-headed dragon, and a longsword and dagger hung from his waist.
The silver-haired youth was not constrained by minor formalities, but was heroic and unconventional.
He required no excessive adornment; merely standing there gave him a kingly demeanor, for he believed in his own charisma and prestige.
"Is this really the Viserys I knew?" The Red Viper felt his mind reel. When he had met Viserys before, Viserys had been utterly unremarkable apart from his appearance.
Truthfully, the Dornish had initially been completely indifferent to Viserys. The relationship between the The Mad King and Crown Prince Rhaegar and his wife was already terrible.
The Mad King Aerys had even tried to send someone to Volantis to find a highborn, ancient-blooded princess for Prince Rhaegar...
The court knew that The Mad King Aerys harbored intentions of bypassing the elder son for the younger, and that Viserys, who remained in the Red Keep, was a spoiled, arrogant boy.
The Red Viper never imagined that after his guardian Darry died, this Viserys would change completely, transforming from the The Mad King's volatile son into the persona of The Conqueror.
While The Red Viper was still pondering how to phrase his greeting, Viserys had already spoken.
"Boatmen, pull ashore. My honored guest has arrived," Viserys commanded. "Gaelin, send my navy back to Viserysgrad. I wish to speak with the Prince alone."
"As you command, Your Majesty!"
Viserys disembarked, looking at the knight, The Red Viper.
The burly knight Argos followed Viserys, resembling a small mountain.
"Dornish heroes are as numerous as sand, but this man stands peerless under heaven," Viserys praised, clapping his hands and removing his straw hat.
"My elder brother, Prince Doran, is unwell and currently unable to travel," The Red Viper said, removing his helmet.
It was a long, melancholy face, with large black eyes beneath finely arched brows, shining like pools of oil. His forehead and nose were sharp, and his glossy black hair contained only a few strands of silver.
The Red Viper, like Rhaenys, was a genuine "salt man."
"Your hair?" The Red Viper asked curiously. He saw that Viserys wore his silver hair short and trimmed, whereas most noble youths wore their hair long.
Throughout the history of Westeros, only one person had favored short hair: Aegon The Conqueror.
"I prefer short hair; it's easier to manage," Viserys replied.
"His Majesty Viserys has been crowned again, and I have arrived late," The Red Viper said, feeling slightly embarrassed. Viserys had been conquering on the Eastern continent, and they had waited a long time before coming.
The Red Viper had wanted to act sooner, but he had to submit to Doran's command.
It was The Red Viper who had warned Doran many times that Viserys's power was expanding too rapidly, and if they waited any longer, the Dornish would truly miss their opportunity. Only then did Doran repeatedly instruct The Red Viper to depart secretly.
Doran was a man who planned big while moving small; essentially, he took one step while calculating three, and his execution was severely lacking. Even his pawns harbored their own ideas.
If Viserys had remained wandering in the Eastern continent and truly become a beggar, he would not have received a single Gold Dragon from Dorne.
"There is an old saying in the ancient lands of the East: Good food is worth the wait," Viserys smiled calmly. "I am deeply gratified to be visited by a great hero like Prince Oberyn."
The Red Viper nodded, having to marvel at how time had changed the man. After several years, Viserys was now not only multi-talented but had also become a knowledgeable sage.
"That is my navy. What do you think of it?" Viserys asked, pointing to his boats, the small vessels navigating the river.
"Very impressive. They remind me of the Orphans of the Greenblood," The Red Viper said, watching the departing ships.
Originally, The Red Viper had been wondering about the extent of Viserys's expansion in Andals. Now it seemed Viserys had not only secured Andals but had also begun integrating the remaining rhoynar population.
This speed of rise could not be explained by luck alone. Viserys's political skill and capabilities must also be outstanding.
While Viserys and The Red Viper were chatting, they heard the sound of approaching hoofbeats again. It was Rhaenys Targaryen, who had arrived with several knights.
"Your Majesty!" Rhaenys bowed to Viserys. The knights brought the King's black steed and a horse for Argos.
Rhaenys was wearing a black studded riding vest. Her riding skills were improving rapidly, making her seem like a centaur.
Viserys affectionately ruffled Rhaenys's soft black hair.
The Red Viper remained silent.
"Alright, let us mount up and talk," Viserys said to The Red Viper.
The group galloped off toward Viserysgrad.
"Prince Oberyn, traveling this far, are you not afraid of the spiders in Sunspear?"
The Red Viper shook his head. "Even if spiderwebs are everywhere, a viper can still spot a tiny gap and slip through. Besides, the iron throne no longer has the energy to bother with us too much; the news of the Kingdom of Andals has already caused uproar and commotion."
"I didn't expect Prince Doran to send his right hand as an envoy," Viserys said. This was an exaggeration, but it matched Dorne's current reality.
Prince Doran was largely secluded in the Water Gardens due to gout, yet his affairs were clearly managed.
Sunspear's governing structure was pyramidal, with The Red Viper being the de facto administrator of Dorne.
Doran's cousin, Ser Manfrey, served as acting Castellan; the elderly and blind Ricasso was the steward; his warrant officer collected taxes and handed them over to the Master of Coin, Aliris Redwyne, for counting. His Magistrate managed order in Shadow City, his justice presided over arbitrations, and Maester Myles handled correspondence that did not require the Prince's personal attention.
Above all these people, Doran placed The Red Viper; meanwhile, the heir, Arianne, was tasked only with drinking, making merry, and entertaining guests.
Given this framework, it was almost inevitable that the discontented and crisis-aware Arianne would lose control.
"This is my sincerity. Being Doran's right hand does not allow me to see the dawn of vengeance, and I have waited long enough. Now I have a new idea: perhaps I can observe the kingdom of the new King," The Red Viper said emotionally.
The sun shone upon the Upper Rhoyne River, casting light upon the muddy road and the green trees of the fields.
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