Chapter 197: Feast of Dragons
Three dragon shadows streaked across the sky.
The dragon group circled above everyone, a new sun beneath the sunlight. Rhaegar Targaryen rode the Silver Emperor, the sound of the dragon's wings flapping like thunder, and rolling heat waves emanated from the dragon's wingbeats. Balerion and Meraxes followed closely behind.
Rhaegar led the dragons at the forefront, guiding the Narrow Sea Fleet from Cape Wrath toward Bloodstone. He had already seen those images in the flames; a bloody battle was taking place on Bloodstone. When the Three Daughters set out, he had already received intelligence, and he had seen it in the flames. The Narrow Sea Fleet first hid at Cape Wrath, perfectly avoiding the initial clash, and then descended like a fierce tiger from the mountains. Bloodstone was currently safe, and now was the best time for a counterattack. The Three Daughters' sneak attack had been exposed; they had lost the first round.
The morale of the Narrow Sea Fleet's Dragonguards was high; only a victorious commander would have devoted soldiers. Originally, the Narrow Sea Fleet was in a state of panic due to various rumors, but now seeing the Prince and the dragons all safe and sound, they all understood that this was a trap set for the Three Daughters.
"I am playing a game of snake swallowing an elephant!" Rhaegar thought from atop the dragon. In terms of the naval power comparison between the Narrow Sea Fleet and the Three Daughters, this was indeed true. Although Westeros had several navies, their forces were too dispersed, scattered amongst different Lords: House Redwyne, the Iron Islands, Gulltown, and the Royal Fleet of Dragonstone. Navies like that of the Iron Islands were considered good if they didn't take advantage of chaos to loot, and the Royal Fleet also had to consider the intervention of Braavos, so it couldn't be deployed en masse. A single Narrow Sea Fleet was somewhat difficult to support alone. For this war, Rhaegar employed deception, alliance, and concealment, using indirect force to achieve victory. In terms of fleet strength, the Three Daughters still held the advantage. If the two city-states remained holed up, attacking their main battleground would be too dangerous and difficult. Only by luring the enemy deep, attracting the Three Daughters to Bloodstone for an assault, would he have a greater chance of success. Not only was it morally correct, but it was also easier to win.
Rhaegar looked down at the Narrow Sea Fleet, which cut through the water. Battle drums began to beat, and seizing the favorable wind, they started to rush toward Bloodstone. Various battle banners fluttered on the fleet: the black flag with a Silver Dragon, representing Rhaegar of House Targaryen; the sea-green flag with a silver seahorse, representing House Velaryon; and the crowned stag banner, representing House Baratheon. Even though Rhaegar had called upon the Stormlands fleet for support, the Narrow Sea Fleet was indeed outnumbered by the Three Daughters, and perhaps even outmatched in experience. Although Rhaegar looked down on the Three Daughters' warriors, their sailors were quite good. Therefore, Rhaegar employed the strategy of luring the enemy deep. The Stepstones had narrow waterways, and he had prepared quite a feast for the Three Daughters. The show was just beginning.
Bloodstone was a double-layered fortification. Without dragons, it was easy to defend and difficult to attack. Rhaegar himself had planned and designed the Bloodstone project, so he naturally knew how defensible this sturdy fortress was. As long as the Three Daughters fell into the quagmire of Bloodstone, this war would be much easier.
"Toward Bloodstone! Advance!" Lucerys Velaryon shouted excitedly from the flagship. He seemed to see the spirits of his ancestors, the Sea Snake galloping across the seas. Multiple grand voyages had made House Velaryon a great House, but unfortunately, their descendants had declined. A major reason for House Velaryon's downfall was being plundered by the Three Daughters, who also burned and looted Driftmark. National hatred and family vengeance had to be repaid today. Lucerys couldn't believe he still had a chance for revenge; he had long wanted to give the Three Daughters a good thrashing!
On Bloodstone, the Three Daughters' war drums sounded, and their men charged forward like a tide, but only left behind a field of corpses. The Bloodstone defenders, relying on the wooden palisade walls, rained down continuous arrows from above, along with thrown stones. After all, while the Stepstones had little timber, stones were plentiful. The Three Daughters left many bodies behind but still couldn't seize the palisade walls, and the battle quickly became a stalemate.
Sala, the Three Daughters' commander, looked increasingly grim. He was in a state of agitation, pacing back and forth on his flagship. He felt as if his fists were hitting cotton, soft and powerless, clenched but striking empty air. "Damn it, these cursed Westerosi villains, cowards, don't dare to fight us head-on! They hide in a fortress like a turtle shell. If this continues, we will gain nothing."
Sala had a bad premonition, sensing that the Narrow Sea Fleet had intentionally disappeared, deliberately avoiding the Three Daughters' attack. Advancing by sea, the Three Daughters' fleet had a huge advantage, and the first wave was indeed unstoppable. But he hadn't expected that a proper naval battle couldn't be fought now, turning into a frontal assault on a tide, which was a waste for both soldiers and the flagship.
Sala was pacing anxiously when he suddenly heard urgent reports from soldiers; the messages seemed to be all bad news.
"General! Chains and wooden palisades have suddenly appeared among the reefs, sea stacks, and winding waterways of the Stepstones, blocking the sea lanes! Our entry and exit waterways are now very few!" the messenger reported.
Commander Sala's vision went black. It seemed he had indeed met a master. This was truly a method of luring the snake out of its hole. He began to resent the incompetence of the Council of Governors, the greed of those slave traders and pirates who entrusted the fate of the city-states to chance. The hired assassin was no master at all; the Governors truly believed Rhaegar had been assassinated. Such a clever and vicious scheme, he knew whose move it was. It was that cunning and cruel brat of House Targaryen, ruthless and merciless.
"My Lord, bad news! A large fleet has appeared behind us from the direction of Cape Wrath, it should be the Narrow Sea Fleet. Also, also, it seems dragons are arriving!" Sala's lookout, pale-faced, delivered even more painful news. Commander Sala had to accept his fate; his sneak attack plan had completely failed, and the Three Daughters' ships and soldiers were in grave danger.
"Gather the soldiers! We have an advantage in warships; we can definitely escape!" Sala said confidently, though he didn't believe his method was entirely feasible.
The war drums of House Targaryen sounded, and the Narrow Sea Fleet appeared not far from the Three Daughters. And there were dragons, those three terrifying and ferocious dragons.
The Narrow Sea Fleet, with a reckless spirit, directly crashed into a weak point in the Three Daughters' encirclement of the island, where the Three Daughters' ragtag pirate and slave trader ships were gathered.
The figures of the dragons gradually became clear. What was initially just a speck now filled the soldiers' entire field of vision. The forms of the dragons slowly manifested in the sky, truly as magnificent and arrogant as the legends described. The terrifying visages of the dragons, their lava-like eyes, their sharp black teeth, their winding necks, their broad leathery wings, the spines on their backs, their shimmering scales.
Dragons are the most wondrous creations of the known world, forged in blood and fire. But all the Three Daughters' soldiers began to panic; they had no mood to admire the dragons. With three dragons appearing, it was simply too terrifying.
The dragons roared in the sky, and the Three Daughters' army stared blankly at the dragons above, beginning to scramble in disarray. Theoretically, they had faced giant dragons head-on more than a hundred years ago and had even shot down a dragon. But too much time had passed, and asking them to draw bows and shoot dragons now, they truly lacked any experience.
But the dragons had already moved; the three dragons began to dive.
"Dracarys!" Rhaegar commanded. Silver Emperor, Balerion, and Meraxes swooped down from high in the sky like lightning, spewing silver, purple, and black fireballs, each brighter and more dazzling than the last. The crew members began to scream, "Dragons!" "It's dragons!"
First to be routed were these motley crews of pirates, slave traders, and adventurers. The dragons roared, sweeping over all the ragtag ships besieging Bloodstone. Fireballs rained down on the vessels, and the ship decks began to explode. Some pirates even jumped into the sea and drowned.
The defending soldiers of Bloodstone, hearing the dragons' roar, began to counterattack. Many soldiers, riding warhorses, charged forward, utterly routing the Three Daughters.
"For the True Dragon! Charge!" The Crackclaw men from Crackclaw Point shouted as they rushed from the ships, launching a ferocious attack on the Three Daughters' soldiers.
The Crackclaw men, House Targaryen's own wildling troops.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you like the story please give it some power stones and reviews. And if you want to read 40+ advance chapters or just want to support me please join my patreon at [email protected]/Translatingfanfics